Effect of Exercise and Respiratory Training on Clinical Progression and Survival in Patients with Severe Chronic Pulmonary Hypertension

Background: Even though specific agents for the treatment of patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) are available, in PH patients, physical capacity and quality of life (QoL) are often restricted and survival is reduced. Objectives: This study prospectively investigated the long-term effects of respiratory and exercise training in patients with severe chronic PH regarding safety, time to clinical worsening and survival. Methods: Fifty-eight consecutive patients with severe PH on stable disease-targeted medication received exercise and respiratory training in hospital for 3 weeks and continued at home. They were prospectively followed for 24 8 12 months. Primary endpoints were time to clinical worsening and survival. Adverse events and changes in the 6-min walking test, QoL, WHO functional class and gas exchange were secondary endpoints and were evaluated at baseline and at weeks 3 and 15. Results: All patients tolerated the exercise Received: March 25, 2010 Accepted after revision: November 2, 2010 Published online: February 9, 2011 Ekkehard Grünig, MD Center for Pulmonary Hypertension, Thoracic Clinic , University Hospital Heidelberg Amalienstrasse 5, DE–69126 Heidelberg Tel. +49 6221 396 8053, Fax +49 6221 396 1209 E-Mail ekkehard.gruenig @ thoraxklinik-heidelberg.de © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel 0025–7931/11/0815–0394$38.00/0 Accessible online at: www.karger.com/res D ow nl oa de d by : 54 .7 0. 40 .1 1 11 /2 3/ 20 17 2 :1 6: 48 P M