Efficacy of a respiratory rehabilitation exercise training package in hospitalized elderly patients with acute exacerbation of COPD: a randomized control trial

Figures & data

Figure 1 Flowchart of the Participants’ Selection Process of the Study.

Table 1 Demographic profiles of the participants (N=61)

Variables	Experiment (n=30)		Control (n=31)
	Median (n)	Range (%)	Median (n)	Range (%)
Age (years)	68.0	44.0–89.0	70.0	52.0–91.0
BMI (kg/m^2)	23.9	15.7–34.1	24.0	17.0–35.0
PEF (L/second)	140.0	50.0–240.0	140.0	60.0–300.0
Sex
Male	(16)	(53.3)	(21)	(67.7)
Female	(14)	(46.7)	(10)	(32.3)
Marital status
No	(0)	(0)	(3)	(9.7)
Yes	(30)	(100)	(28)	(90.3)
Educational level
Illiterate	(10)	(33.3)	(7)	(22.6)
Elementary school	(15)	(50.0)	(19)	(61.3)
High school	(5)	(16.7)	(5)	(16.1)
Medical comorbidity
No	(0)	(0)	(3)	(9.7)
Yes	(30)	(100)	(28)	(90.3)
Smoking status
No	(20)	(66.7)	(15)	(48.4)
Yes	(10)	(33.3)	(16)	(51.6)

Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; PEF, peak expiratory flow.

Table 2 Between and within groups differences on dyspnea, cough, and exercise tolerance at baseline and the end of fourth day (N=61)

Variables	Experiment (n=30)		Control (n=31)		Between-group test	P-value
	Median	Range	Median	Range
Dyspnea
Baseline	5	0–8	4	0–10	−0.76a	0.448
At the fourth day	1	0–4	4	0–10	−2.99a	0.003**
Within-group test (P-value)	−4.35 (<0.001***)b		−1.69 (0.091)b
Cough
Baseline	5	0–10	5	0–10	−0.31a	0.760
At the fourth day	2	0–5	4	0–10	−3.64a	<0.001***
Within-group test (P-value)	−4.30 (<0.001***)b		−1.65 (0.099)b
Exercise tolerance (m)
Baseline	160	50–390	200	60–290	−1.28a	0.200
At the fourth day	280	80–390	200	60–375	−3.68a	<0.001***
Within-group test (P-value)	−4.53 (<0.001***)b		0.81 (0.419)b

Notes:

a Mann–Whitney U-test;

b Wilcoxon W test;

** P<0.01;

*** P<0.001.

Table 3 Between and within groups differences on sputum expectoration at baseline and the end of fourth day (N=61)

Variables	Experiment (n=30)		Control (n=31)		Between-group test	P-value
	N	%	N	%
Sputum expectoration
Baseline					0.97a	0.162
Difficult	8	26.7	13	41.9
Easy	22	73.3	18	58.9
At the fourth day					4.43a	0.034*
Difficult	3	10.0	10	32.3
Easy	27	90.0	21	67.7
Within-group test (P-value)	0.08 (0.621)a		4.78 (0.036*)a

Notes:

a McNemar test;

* P<0.05.