Respirology : official journal of the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Short- and long-term hospital and community exercise programmes for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with COPD has been shown to be beneficial but the optimal setting is not known. In the present study, the efficacy of a short-term community-based exercise programme was compared with a standard hospital outpatient programme. Additionally, the usefulness of community or home programmes in maintaining improvements in the longer term was studied. ⋯ A 3-month community-based exercise programme for patients with COPD did not improve 6MWD. The long-term retention rates in the programmes were poor.