Springe auf Hauptinhalt Springe auf Hauptmenü Springe auf SiteSearch

Sicherung von Nachhaltigkeitseffekten der ambulanten medizinischen Rehabilitation für Patienten mit Asbestose

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of outpatient medical rehabilitation (OMR) mainly composed of exercise and sport therapy for patients with asbestosis. Following the Hamburg model, the OMR focuses on maintenance of lasting effects.

Methods: In a preliminary study, 104 male asbestosis patients aged 65.7 ± 5.5 years took part in phase 1 of the OMR over a period of three weeks, 5 times weekly, 6 h each time; phase 1 consists of standardized pulmonary rehabilitation. Directly afterwards, further therapy with the main focus on exercise and sport was applied over a period of 12 weeks, once weekly, 3 h each time (phase 2). After phase 2 the rehabilitation centre transferred the patients into sports groups near their places of residence (phase 3, maintenance phase). The effects of the OMR were evaluated at the beginning (T1), at the end of phase 1 (T2) and phase 2 (T3) as well as 6 (T4) and 18 months (T5) after T3 by means of appropriate assessment.

Results: In comparison with the T1-results, physical fitness (6-minute walk test, step test, thigh muscle strength) and perceived dyspnoea (Baseline/Transition Dyspnoea Index) of the patients were significantly improved during T2. Whereas the parameters “vital capacity” and “forced expiratory volume” showed no change over the study period, the values for “oxygen partial pressure” were significantly increased. These positive effects could be confirmed in T3. 82 patients (79%) were still exercising for their health regularly 6 and 18 months after T3 and could maintain their health outcome at T4 and T5, while the effects of rehabilitation of the 22 patients who discontinued their sporting activities wore off again to and even below the starting condition at T1.

Conclusions: In spite of a restrictive pulmonary disease, specific exercise therapy and sport therapy are able to mobilize physical performance reserves and improve quality of life as well as producing higher resilience in daily life. These positive effects could be maintained by regular once weekly exercise. These results emphasize the necessity of including aftercare strategies in rehabilitation concepts.