Home-based rehabilitation maintenance with or without an exercise-based pilates program in COPD patients

Marisela Barbosa, Centro Hospitalar do Baixo Vouga Aveiro, Unidade Local de Saúde da Região de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal; Escola Superior de Saúde Norte da Cruz Vermelha Portuguesa, Oliveira de Azeméis, Portugal
Cristina Argel de Melo, Physiotherapy School of Allied Health Technologies, Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Porto, Portugal
Rui Torres, CIR, Center for Rehabilitation Research, Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Porto, Portugal; CESPU, North Polytechnic Institute of Health, Paredes, Portugal

Background: Pilates exercise may complement pulmonary rehabilitation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to improve patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). Objective: To investigate the effects on PROMs after incorporating a six-month Pilates exercise maintenance program compared to a home-only exercise program. Material and methods: A total of 32 participants with COPD (GOLD B) were assigned to either the intervention group (n = 14) or the control group (n = 18). Both groups participated in a threemonth pulmonary rehabilitation program. For the next six months, the intervention group engaged in a Pilates exercise program and home-based exercises, while the control group continued with home-based exercises only. Primary outcomes were evaluated at baseline, three, six, and nine months. Results: At the nine-month follow-up, the intervention group exhibited significantly fewer activity-related impairments in the St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire Activity domain (p = 0.029) and experienced less symptoms of anxiety (p = 0.002) and depression (p = 0.014) according to the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale scores. Other PROMs did not show statistically significant differences between the groups. Conclusion: Incorporating a six-month Pilates exercise maintenance program resulted in fewer activity-related impairments and reduced anxiety and depression symptoms compared to those who followed a home-based exercise maintenance program alone.

Keywords: COPD. Pulmonary rehabilitation. Community-based. Home-based. Pilates.