Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Asthma Control

Asthma treatment is not only medical, it also requires a comprehensive care including nonpharmacological treatment. Pulmonary rehabilitation represents the most important part of the comprehensive care. The investigators aimed to evaluate the efficacy of pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with uncontrolled and partially controlled asthma.

Asthma patients referred to pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) unit were classified according to asthma control test; as partially controlled patients (Group 1), and as uncontrolled patients (Group 2). All patients received of a 8 week pulmonary rehabilitation program. Asthma control tests, pulmonary function tests, arterial blood gases analysis, dyspnea perception, quality of life, exercise capacity, anxiety and depression assessments were performed before and after pulmonary rehabilitation.

Inclusion criteria

• Asthmatic patients referred from the outpatient clinic to Pulmonary Rehabilitation unit was confirmed according to GINA guidelines

Exclusion criteria

• If the initial diagnosis cannot be confirmed, the patient excluded from the study
• Patients were under medical treatment of -6 months and considered clinically stable.
• Patients with cardiovascular, other lung diseases (pneumoconiosis, pulmonary tuberculosis, interstitial lung disease), or musculoskeletal diseases that would impair exercise training were excluded from the study.
• Also subjects with lack of motivation, poor compliance (not attending the program more than 2 times) or having transport problems were excluded from the study