Abstract

GASPAR, Luis; MARTINS, Paula  and  GOMES, Fátima. Effect of Pulmonary Rehabilitation assessed by CAT and its relation to activity tolerance. RPER [online]. 2019, vol.2, n.1, pp.6-10. ISSN 2184-965X.  https://doi.org/10.33194/rper.2019.v2.n1.01.4566.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a common disease characterized by progressive airflow limitation, causing important functional impairment with repercussions on self-care. Previously characterized only by dyspnea, it is now recognized that a more comprehensive symptomatic assessment is needed, leading GOLD to recommend the COPD Assessment Test (CAT), among others.

Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR) is the non-pharmacological treatment recommended in this context, and for that reason the goal of this investigation is to understand its effect on CAT as well as its relation with functional capacity (FC).

Quasi-Experimental Study with a Respiratory Rehabilitation Program (RRP) with a median duration of 13 weeks, with the effect on CAT and FC evaluated at the beginning and at the end.

Forty five patients were included: 80% men, mean age 65.82 years and mean forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) of 40%.

Statistical and clinically significant improvements were found in both CAT and FC, with a moderate negative correlation between the two.

We conclude that this RRP reduced symptoms and increased FC in people with COPD.

Keywords : Rehabilitation Nursing; Pulmonary Rehabilitation; CAT; Exercise tolerance; COPD.

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