Sammanfattning
Purpose: Pulmonary rehabilitation is known to lead to improvements in exercise tolerance, healthrelated
quality of life and help reduce symptoms. Exercise, one of the largest components of such an
intervention, although of great benefit, can increase the inflammatory response related to chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease, depending on intensity and duration. Through this study, the effects of
a 12week, high-intensity PR programme on COPD inflammatory-related markers were investigated.
Materials and methods: This study is a longitudinal, observational type of study. Sixty COPD patients
were enrolled, 49 of which completed the programme. A 2-h high-intensity PR programme was delivered,
twice weekly for 12 weeks. The following markers were assessed at baseline, 4, 8 and 12 weeks
through rehabilitation – C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, neutrophil, eosinophil
counts, complete blood count, six-minute walk test and St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire. Serum
amyloid A levels were assessed at baseline, week 8 and 12 and exhaled NO at baseline and upon completion
of the programme.
Results: This 12-week PR programme resulted in no changes in the inflammatory markers but resulted
in significant improvements in both the 6MW distance and health quality of life.
Conclusions: Beneficial effects on functional and HRQoL measures resulted, which, however, appear
unrelated to changes in the systemic inflammatory markers.