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OBJECTIVES: In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the inspiratory capacity–to–total lung capacity (IC/TLC) ratio has been found to be correlated with mortality and a reduced exercise capacity. Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is known to improve the exercise capacity and respiratory functions of patients with COPD. Our study aims to examine the impact of PR on the IC/TLC ratio in patients with COPD.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included a total of 122 patients with COPD who received PR therapy twice a week over a period of 8 weeks in an outpatient clinic.
RESULTS: Patients’ mean age was 62.5 (±8.2), and 15 patients (12.3%) were female. Post-PR FEV1, TLCO, and pO2 values, and the 6mWD, dyspnea, and quality-of-life (QoL) scores indicated a statistically significant improvement (p<0.05 for all). Patients were grouped as follows: patients with IC/TLC >0.25 as Group 1 and IC/TLC ≤0.25 as Group 2. Both groups exhibited a significantly increased post-PR 6 mWT distance (375–420, 336–400 meters) with no difference between the groups. We observed a significantly increased FEV1% in both groups after the PR (p=0.007, 0.004). Again, QoL questionnaires and Modified Medical Research Council scores significantly improved for both groups (p<0.001). Although no post-PR IC/TLC improvement was detected in patients with good prognosis, we identified an IC/TLC improvement in the poor prognosis group (Group 2) (p=0.002).
CONCLUSION: COPD patients with IC/TLC ≤0.25 benefit from the PR just as those COPD patients with IC/TLC >0.25.
Cite this article as: Varol Y, Şahin H, Aktürk Ü, et al. Effect of Pulmonary Rehabilitation on the Value of the Inspiratory Capacity–to–Total Lung Capacity (IC/TLC) Ratio to Determine Response to Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Turk Thorac J 2019; 20(4): 224-9.