Home-based rehabilitation maintenance with or without an exercise-based pilates program in COPD patients

Background: Pilates exercise may complement pulmonary rehabilitation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to improve patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). Objective: To investigate the effects on PROMs after incorporating a six-month Pilates exercise maintenance program compared to a home-only exercise program. Material and methods: A total of 32 participants with COPD (GOLD B) were assigned to either the intervention group (n = 14) or the control group (n = 18). Both groups participated in a threemonth pulmonary rehabilitation program. For the next six months, the intervention group engaged in a Pilates exercise program and home-based exercises, while the control group continued with home-based exercises only. Primary outcomes were evaluated at baseline, three, six, and nine months. Results: At the nine-month follow-up, the intervention group exhibited significantly fewer activity-related impairments in the St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire Activity domain (p = 0.029) and experienced less symptoms of anxiety (p = 0.002) and depression (p = 0.014) according to the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale scores. Other PROMs did not show statistically significant differences between the groups. Conclusion: Incorporating a six-month Pilates exercise maintenance program resulted in fewer activity-related impairments and reduced anxiety and depression symptoms compared to those who followed a home-based exercise maintenance program alone.