Determinants of successful completion of pulmonary rehabilitation in COPD

Abstract

Background

Despite known benefits, a significant proportion of patients with COPD do not complete pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). Little is known regarding which factors promote successful completion of PR.

Methods

We analyzed data from a prospectively maintained database of subjects with COPD who attended a PR program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, from 1996 to 2013. Subjects were categorized as either completers or non-completers, based on successful completion of at least 8 weeks of PR. Demographics and comorbidities were recorded. Short Form 36 Health Survey, Beck Depression Inventory-II, and San Diego Shortness of Breath Questionnaire were administered to all participants at baseline and on completion of PR to assess participants’ perception of their health status, severity of depression, and dyspnea with performance of activities of daily living. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to identify predictors of successful completion of PR.

Results

Four hundred and forty subjects were included, of whom 229 completed PR. Forty-one percent were female, and 17% were African American. Compared with non-completers, completers had greater Short Form 36 Health Survey pain score, lower forced expiratory volume in the first second, and lower Beck Depression Inventory score, and included a lower percentage of current smokers. On multivariate analysis, cigarette smoking at enrollment was associated with lower likelihood of completion of PR (adjusted odds ratio 0.38, 95% confidence interval 0.16–0.90; P=0.02).

Conclusion

Cigarette smoking was the sole independent predictor of PR dropout, and smoking cessation may warrant greater emphasis prior to enrollment.

Keywords:

• pulmonary rehabilitation
• COPD
• completion

Acknowledgments

Some of the findings of this study were presented as an abstract at the American Thoracic Society Conference at San Diego in 2014. The abstract was published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine: American Thoracic Society International Conference Abstracts. American Thoracic Society; 2014:A2653-A. doi:10.1164/ajrccm-conference.2014.189.1_MeetingAbstracts.A2653.

Author contributions

ATB contributed to study design, data collection, and manuscript writing. JH was involved in data collection, and reviewed the manuscript for important intellectual content. CS performed data collection, and reviewed the manuscript for important intellectual content. JMW performed data collection and reviewed the manuscript for important intellectual content. MTD contributed to manuscript writing, and reviewed the manuscript for important intellectual content. SPB was involved in study design, data collection, data analysis, and manuscript writing. He had full access to all of the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis. All authors contributed toward data analysis, drafting and critically revising the paper and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.