Thoracic Research and Practice
Original Article

Effect of Pulmonary Rehabilitation on the Value of the Inspiratory Capacity–to–Total Lung Capacity (IC/TLC) Ratio to Determine Response to Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

1.

Department of Chest Diseases, Dr. Suat Seren Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery Training and Research Hospital, İzmir, Turkey

2.

Pulmonary Rehabilitation Unit, Dr. Suat Seren Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery Training and Research Hospital, İzmir, Turkey

3.

Department of Chest Diseases, University of Health Sciences Süreyyapaşa Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey

Thorac Res Pract 2019; 20: 224-229
DOI: 10.5152/TurkThoracJ.2018.089
Read: 1536 Downloads: 712 Published: 25 September 2019

OBJECTIVES: In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the inspiratory capacity–to–total lung capacity (IC/TLC) ratio has been found to be correlated with mortality and a reduced exercise capacity. Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is known to improve the exercise capacity and respiratory functions of patients with COPD. Our study aims to examine the impact of PR on the IC/TLC ratio in patients with COPD.
 

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included a total of 122 patients with COPD who received PR therapy twice a week over a period of 8 weeks in an outpatient clinic.
 

RESULTS: Patients’ mean age was 62.5 (±8.2), and 15 patients (12.3%) were female. Post-PR FEV1, TLCO, and pO2 values, and the 6mWD, dyspnea, and quality-of-life (QoL) scores indicated a statistically significant improvement (p<0.05 for all). Patients were grouped as follows: patients with IC/TLC >0.25 as Group 1 and IC/TLC ≤0.25 as Group 2. Both groups exhibited a significantly increased post-PR 6 mWT distance (375–420, 336–400 meters) with no difference between the groups. We observed a significantly increased FEV1% in both groups after the PR (p=0.007, 0.004). Again, QoL questionnaires and Modified Medical Research Council scores significantly improved for both groups (p<0.001). Although no post-PR IC/TLC improvement was detected in patients with good prognosis, we identified an IC/TLC improvement in the poor prognosis group (Group 2) (p=0.002).
 

CONCLUSION: COPD patients with IC/TLC ≤0.25 benefit from the PR just as those COPD patients with IC/TLC >0.25.

Cite this article as: Varol Y, Şahin H, Aktürk Ü, et al. Effect of Pulmonary Rehabilitation on the Value of the Inspiratory Capacity–to–Total Lung Capacity (IC/TLC) Ratio to Determine Response to Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Turk Thorac J 2019; 20(4): 224-9.

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