ENERGY EXPENDITURE AND SUBJECTIVE FATIGUE OF CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE PATIENTS BEFORE AND AFTER A PULMONARY REHABILITATION PROGRAM (LUNGS, TIREDNESS, EXERCISE)

A pre-experimental pretest, post-test study was performed to determine the changes in fatigue and energy expenditure which occur after COPD patients participate in a pulmonary rehabilitation program. Correlations and multiple regression were performed to determine the relationship of chronic subjective fatigue to selected physiological parameters. The descriptive phase of the study was carried out to describe the symptoms of fatigue which occur more frequently in patients with severe COPD and the symptoms which are most improved by pulmonary rehabilitation.;Over the course of two years a total of 82 COPD patients were tested while attending five-week pulmonary rehabilitation programs. Patients were tested on the fatigue tool and performed treadmill testing before and after the program. The Chronic Subjective Fatigue Tool was developed and tested for validity and reliability by the investigator, utilizing 114 subjects.;The first major hypothesis was supported, demonstrating that a pulmonary rehabilitation program can make a difference in the fatigue levels of patients with COPD. Analysis of the second hypothesis revealed that rehabilitation improved patients' parameters of energy expenditure measured during treadmill exercise. The third hypothesis found no correlation between fatigue and physiological parameters of energy expenditure. . . . (Author's abstract exceeds stipulated maximum length. Discontinued here with permission of author.) UMI.;The following major research hypotheses were tested: (1) There will be a decrease in chronic subjective fatigue of COPD patients after their participation in a pulmonary rehabilitation program. (2) There will be an improvement in COPD patients' physiological parameters of energy expenditures during treadmill exercise after their participation in a rehabilitation program. (3) There will be a relationship between chronic subjective fatigue and physiological parameters of energy expenditure during treadmill exercise as measured before rehabilitation. (4) There will be an inverse relationship between chronic subjective fatigue scores and peak exercise capacity of COPD patients as measured before rehabilitation. (5) There will be an inverse relationship of chronic subjective fatigue to lung function studies, PaO(,2), and pH measurements in patients with COPD as measured before rehabilitation. (6) There will be a positive relationship between chronic subjective fatigure and PaCO(,2) measurements in patients with COPD as measured before pulmonary rehabilitation.