Structured Exercise Training Programme in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Summary

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Description

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive fibrotic lung disease characterised by progressive exercise intolerance and breathlessness. In 2012 there were 32 500 people living in the United Kingdom (UK) with IPF. Average life expectancy from time of diagnosis is 2-3 years (Ley et al. 2011)....

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive fibrotic lung disease characterised by progressive exercise intolerance and breathlessness. In 2012 there were 32 500 people living in the United Kingdom (UK) with IPF. Average life expectancy from time of diagnosis is 2-3 years (Ley et al. 2011). Despite recent advances in drug therapy, therapeutic options are limited and no medication has been found to halt progression of the disease. Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR) is a structured exercise and education intervention that is well established as a core treatment intervention for patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Current limited evidence shows that PR is safe in patients with IPF and can lead to short-term improvements in exercise tolerance, symptoms and quality of life (Dowman et al. 2014). However the optimal exercise protocol, the longer-term benefits and which group or patients (those with milder or more severe disease) benefit most is unclear. Further it is unknown what mechanisms underlie any improvement and whether exercise training influences the fibrotic process causing IPF.

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