A NEW study reveals that inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation significantly enhances functional independence in patients with chronic lung disease, and these improvements are strongly linked to better survival outcomes.
This retrospective cohort study examined 223 patients diagnosed with fibrotic interstitial lung disease (ILD) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who completed a 3-week inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) programme. Functional independence was measured using the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) at both programme entry and discharge. Researchers analysed correlations between FIM scores and clinical or demographic factors and used multivariable Cox proportional hazard models to assess the association between FIM scores and mortality risk over a 3-year follow-up period.
Both ILD and COPD patients experienced significant improvements in FIM total and motor scores during PR. Baseline FIM scores were inversely associated with improvements, while gains in 6-minute walk distance showed a strong positive correlation with FIM improvements. Most notably, each 1-point increase in FIM motor score was associated with a 3% reduction in mortality risk (hazard ratio: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.94–1, P=0.03). These benefits were observed irrespective of patients’ initial levels of independence, suggesting that even those starting with greater functional limitations can meaningfully benefit from PR.
The findings highlight the critical role of inpatient PR, not only in improving physical function, but also in extending survival in individuals with chronic respiratory conditions. All eligible patients, regardless of baseline functional status, should be considered for PR to maximise long-term outcomes.
Reference
Elmiger A et al. Pulmonary rehabilitation and functional independence: Impact on survival in patients with fibrotic interstitial lung disease or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Respir Med. 2025;237:107933.
