Lütfiye Kılıç, Esra Pehlivan, Arif Balcı

The effect of pulmonary rehabilitation on dyspnea and factors related to dyspnea in lung transplantation candidates

Objectives: Lung transplantation is the last treatment option when conservative treatment is not effective inindividuals with terminal stage lung disease. Dyspnea is the primary symptom affecting quality of life in thesepatients. In our study, the effects of Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR) on dyspnea and factors related with dyspneawere investigated in lung transplant candidates.Methods: Patients who were in the lung transplant waiting list and completed the 3-month PR program wereincluded in the study. Study result measurements: 6-minute walk test distance (6MWD), lung functions (FEV1,FVC), respiratory muscle strength (MIP, MEP), quadriceps femoris muscle strength as measured by digitaldynanometer, hand grip force measured by hand dinanometer (HG) and modified Modified Medical ResearchCouncil (mMRC) dyspnea scale.Results: A total of 47 patients were included in the study. After PR, 6MWD (p < 0.0001), MIP (p < 0.0001),MEP (p < 0.0001), HG (p < 0.0001) and mMRC (p < 0.0001) improvements were detected. There was nostatistically significant relationship between the decrease in mMRC and the amount of change occurring inother outcome measurements (p > 0.05).Conclusions: According to the results of our study, PR has a positive effect on exercise capacity, peripheraland respiratory muscle strength and dyspnea in lung transplant candidates. But there was no relationshipbetween these positive developments and dyspnea. There is a need for studies investigating the effects ofdifferent clinical features on rehabilitation outcomes.

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