Long-term outcome after respiratory rehabilitation.

To determine the long-term effect of respiratory rehabilitation, we followed up for 6 months after discharge 31 consecutive patients enrolled in a multidisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation program lasting 4 to 6 weeks. Of the 31, 24 showed improvement in quality of life (as measured with a previously validated questionnaire) and in functional exercise capacity (as measured with the 6-minute walk test) 2 weeks after discharge. The improvement …