Progressive Relaxation Exercises in COPD

Primary outcomes

1. Modified Borg Scale

   Time frame: change from baseline score at the end of four weeks

   The Modified Borg Scale was developed by Borg in 1970 to measure the effort that is spent during physical exercise. It is a scale that is often used to assess the exertion dyspnea severity and resting dyspnea severity. There are 10 items that define the severity of the dyspnea according to their degrees. The scoring is made between 0 (none) and 10 (very severe)

2. Modified British Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale

   Time frame: change from baseline score at the end of four weeks

   Fletcher et al. developed the mMRC Dyspnea Scale in 1940s when he worked on the respiratory problems of the coal workers. Then, the British Medical Research Board developed this scale more, and used to monitor the natural course of the disease. There are 5 grade (grade 0 to grade 4) that define the description of breathlessness on various physical activities, which cause dyspnea sense.

   Grade 0: breathless with strenuous exercise; Grade 1: short of breath when hurrying on level ground or walking up a slight hill; Grade 2: walked slower than people of the same age on level ground, and experienced breathlessness or the need to stop to breathe when walking on level ground at their own pace; Grade 3: stop to breathe after walking about 100 yards, or after a few minutes on level ground; and Grade 4: too breathless to leave the house, or breathless when dressing / undressing.

3. COPD Assessment Test

   Time frame: change from baseline score at the end of four weeks

   It was developed by Jones et al. in 2009. The Turkish reliability and validity of it was conducted in 2012 by Yorgancıoğlu et al. (2012). It is an easy, 8-item, and short scale that clinically measures the effects of COPD and deterioration in health conditions. The lowest score that can be received from the scale is 0, and the highest score is 40.

4. Beck Anxiety Scale

   Time frame: change from baseline score at the end of four weeks

   This scale, which can distinguish anxiety from depression, was developed by Beck et al. (1988). The validity and reliability studies of the scale were conducted for Turkey by Ulusoy et al. in 1998. The scale measures the frequency of the anxiety symptoms of the individuals with self-evaluation. It is a 4-Point Likert scale, and consists of 21 items. The scores range between 0 and 63. According to the scores received from the scale, the anxiety levels of patients are assessed as 0-7 points: minimal, 8-15 points: mild, 16-25 points moderate, 26 and above points: severe anxiety level.

5. Patient Follow-Up Schedule

   Time frame: change from baseline score at the end of four weeks

   The Patient Follow-Up Schedule is the form in which the first follow-up (the first interview), the second follow-up (the second interview after 4 weeks), the results of the respiratory function, and the emergency admission status of the patients were recorded by the researcher.