Profile of COPD Patients Refusing Educational Program in Pulmonary Rehabilitation and Impact on the Benefits

Profile of COPD Patients Refusing Educational Program in Pulmonary Rehabilitation and Impact on the Benefits

Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) has proven its efficacy to improve dyspnea, health status, exercise tolerance and quality of life for patients with stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Exercise training has previously been thoroughly studied but education has been less studied in PR. Furthermore, only few studies have investigated the added value of an educational program (EP) to exercise training on clinical and physical factors. Characterizing those patients who refuse EP is therefore a first step to better target them and potentially improve their adherence and outcome following PR.

The aim of this study was to determine the characteristics of the COPD patients referred to PR who refused EP compare to those who accepted and to identify the independent predictive factors of refusal. The investigators also sought to compare the change in clinical outcomes and number and length of hospitalization at six months following PR among those patients who accepted or not to participate in EP.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Clinical diagnosis of COPD,
• >18 years old,
• Stable state of COPD.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients who have not been offered an educational program
• Patients who have already been offered an educational program during a pulmonary rehabilitation in the same center.