Study characteristics of the studies included
| Design | Country | Participants | Interventions | Outcomes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Li et al15 | Retrospective cohort study | Canada | 345 patients Mean age: 51±14 years | Duration: 1.5 to 2 hours per session 3 times per week; 47±59 sessions. Interventions: Stretching aerobic exercise and resistance training. Aerobic exercise: arm ergometer, cycle ergometer, treadmill training. Duration increased up to 20 min of treadmill. Resistance and stretching: biceps, triceps, quadriceps, hamstrings and hip muscles. | - Exercise capacity: 6MWT - Quality of life: SF-36; SGRQ, Visual Analogue Scale, Standard Gamble and EQ-5D. |
| Florian et al16 | Prospective study | Brazil | 58 patients Mean age: 46±14 years | Duration: 90 min, 3 times/week (36 meetings). Intervention: Warming-up: breathing exercises associated with arm raising. Muscle strengthening: arm and leg exercises with an initial load of 30% of one repetition maximum testing and with one set of 10 repetitions per exercise (the load was increased by 0.5 kg every 7 sessions according to the patient tolerance). Aerobic exercises: performed on a treadmill, beginning at 60% of the speed of the 6MWT (progressive protocol every 6 min until reaching 30 min). The speed was increased by 0.3 km/h every 7 sessions. | - Exercise capacity: 6MWT. - Health-related quality of life: SF-36. |
| Jastrzebski et al17 | Quasi-experimental study | Poland | 22 male patients Mean age: 50.4 years | Duration: Two 6-week cycles: 2-week hospital-based rehabilitation and 4-week home-based rehabilitation. Interventions: Nordic walking at 75% of maximal heart rate-monitored heart rate and oxygen saturation at first session at hospital. Distance according to 6MWT. | - Quality of life: SF-36. - Dyspnoea: MRC questionnaire. - Exercise capacity: 6MWT. - Pulmonary function: spirometry. |
| Gloeckl et al18 | Randomised control trial | Germany | 60 patients Mean age: 53±6 years | Duration: 3 weeks inpatient rehabilitation programme (5 to 6 days/week). Interventions: Interval training: cycling at 100% peak work rate for 30 s alternating with 30 s of rest. Continuous training: cycling at 60% of peak work rate. | - Exercise capacity: 6MWT. - Lung function: MasterScreen Body Plethysmograph. - Health-related quality of life: SF-36. |
| Kenn et al19 | Retrospective study | Germany | 811 patients -COPD(n=360) 54±7.6 years -AATD(n=127) 51±6.3 years -ILD(n=195) 54±8.7 years -CF(n=69) 31±7.4 years -Other(n=60) 45±12.9 years | Duration: 5 to 6 days per week yielding 25 to 30 sessions. Interventions: Supervised sessions of endurance training 10–20 min at 60% of peak work rate, elaborated from an incremental cycle test; 30–45 min training sessions, including individual strength training (four to six exercises with 3×20 repetitions at the maximum tolerated load), specialised breathing techniques and controlled coughing exercises along with active physiotherapy. Twice per week (for 1 hour), all patients participated in educational sessions addressing self-management, coping strategies, nutritional interventions and structured lessons developed for candidates for LTx: postoperative drug management, living with the new organ, and psychosocial aspects after LTx. | - Exercise capacity: 6MWT. - Quality of life: SF36. - Lung function and blood gas analyses: spirometry and body plethysmography. |
| Manzetti et al20 | Randomised control trial | USA | 9 patients Mean age: 40±10 years | Duration: 3 times/week for 6 weeks (education classes); 2 times/week (exercise classes). Interventions: Education+exercise: the same educational programme plus exercise programme that included treadmill, bicycle ergometer, light aerobic exercises and light upper extremity weight training within the participant's physical capacity. Education alone: classes in anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology, home oxygen systems, stress reduction techniques and alternative sexual techniques taught by a multidisciplinary team of healthcare providers. | - Exercise tolerance: 6MWT and cardiopulmonary exercise testing. - Quality of life: QWB, QLI and SFSD. |
6MWT, 6 min walk test; AATD, α-1 antitrypsin deficiency; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CF, cystic fibrosis; EQ-5D, EuroQol five dimensions questionnaire; ILD, interstitial lung disease; LTx, lung transplantation; MRC, medical research council questionnaire; QWB, quality of well-being scale; QLI, quality of life index; SF-36, Short Form 36 questionnaire; SFSD, symptom frequency/symptom distress scale; SGRQ, Saint George respiratory questionnaire.