Evaluation of factors associated with the timing of pulmonary rehabilitation during hospitalisation in patients with interstitial lung disease: a two-centre retrospective study

Abstract

Purpose: Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is effective in patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) in stable condition. However, little is known about PR in clinically unstable inpatients with ILD. This retrospective study aimed at clarifying the clinical characteristics of these patients who have been referred to inpatient PR, particularly focussing on the timing of PR.

Materials and methods: We assessed 103 patients diagnosed with ILD who underwent inpatient PR. Outcomes included initiation/termination date of PR, laboratory data, treatment contents, walking ability, and in-hospital mortality. Subjects were divided into two groups at the median of initiation/termination date of PR, and clinical characteristics were compared.

Results: The median PR initiation date was 5 days from admission. The group that started PR within 5 days showed significantly high C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase, Krebs von den Lungen-6, and use rate of high-flow therapy, and significantly low walking ability before hospitalisation. The median PR termination date was 1 day before discharge, and the group that ended PR more than 2 days before discharge showed significantly high mortality and age.

Conclusions: Early PR intervention was provided to patients with poor general condition and physical functions. PR tended to be discontinued early in fatal cases.

Keywords:

• initiation
• inpatient
• interstitial lung disease
• timing
• pulmonary rehabilitation
• termination

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.