Respiratory Rehabilitation Exercises in Older Adults With Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

The purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the effects of a respiratory rehabilitation exercise training package on dyspnea, cough, exercise tolerance, and sputum expectoration of hospitalized elderly patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). Using purposive sampling, 61 participants were recruited and randomly assigned to either the experimental group (n = 30) or the control group (n = 31). The experimental group participants received the respiratory rehabilitation exercise training twice a day and 10-30 minutes per session for four days. The control group participants received usual care and health education. Data were collected at baseline and at the end of the four-day intervention.