Rehabilitation in COPD patients admitted for exacerbation

Recovery of lung function is delayed up to 2 months following acute exacerbation (AE) of COPD patients. After AE, even with optimal medical therapy, it takes considerable time for COPD patients to recover to baseline ability to perform usual physical activity.Despite pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) has been so far considered a useful non-pharmacological therapy in stable COPD individuals, still few studies have examined the effect of rehabilitation during and/or early after AE.The present review updates the application of early PR and main physical therapies both during hospital acute care and following discharge of COPD patients undergoing exacerbation.Only recently, literature has shown feasibility and effectiveness of early PR in COPD patients undergoing AE. Notwithstanding, it clearly appears a treatment indicated just after or even during an acute episode in hospital.Future studies should be able to clarify the practical role and effects of a timely application of rehabilitation to acute COPD, as well as the preferred modalities, duration and techniques to apply in this condition.