Effects of different durations of exercise-based pulmonary rehabilitation intervention in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis : A systematic review and meta-analysis
5 affiliations
- 1Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
- 2Department of Talent Highland, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
- 3Health Science Center, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, P.R. China
- 4Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, P.R. China
- 5Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, P.R. China.
Abstract
Background:: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a chronic and fatal lung disease causing progressive scarring, severely impairs respiratory function and quality of life. Although pulmonary rehabilitation is an important supportive intervention, the effects of different intervention durations remain uncertain. This study aims to evaluate the effects of exercise-based pulmonary rehabilitation at approximately 3 months/12 weeks, 6 months/26 weeks, and 9 to 12 months/52 weeks in patients with IPF.
Methods:: Systematic literature searches were conducted in the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, Scopus, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, Chinese Science and Technology Journal Database, and CBM databases up until May 2024. Included studies assessed the impact of exercise-based pulmonary rehabilitation on patients with IPF, with outcomes measuring six-minute walk distance (6MWD), St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) or its IPF-specific version IPF-specific St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ-I), percent-predicted diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLco%), and dyspnea scores using the modified Medical Research Council Dyspnoea Scale. Only studies published in English or Chinese were included.
Results:: Eight studies with 358 participants were analyzed. For 6MWD, pooled effects favored pulmonary rehabilitation at 3 months/12 weeks (mean difference [MD] = 35.98 m, 95% confidence interval [CI] 18.05–53.92), 6 months/26 weeks (MD = 36.53 m, 95% CI 19.62–53.44), and 9 to12 months/52 weeks (MD = 50.98 m, 95% CI 25.94–76.03). SGRQ/SGRQ-I improved at 6 months (MD = −8.16, 95% CI − 12.33–− 4.00) and 9 to 12 months (MD = −8.76, 95% CI − 13.06−4.46), but not clearly at 3 months (MD = −4.08, 95% CI − 9.61–1.45). DLco% improved only at 9 to12 months (MD = 7.85, 95% CI 2.80–12.90). mMRC data were available from 1 study at 12 weeks and 1 study at 6 months and were therefore not pooled within either intervention-duration category. Longest-intervention-duration sensitivity analyses supported benefits for 6MWD and SGRQ/SGRQ-I, whereas DLco% was not statistically significant and the longest-assessment sensitivity analysis for mMRC showed substantial heterogeneity.
Conclusion:: Exercise-based pulmonary rehabilitation was associated with improved exercise capacity across the assessed intervention durations. Improvements in health-related quality of life were observed at 6 and 9 to12 months, whereas evidence for lung function and dyspnea remained limited. The intervention-duration analyses were exploratory and did not establish a duration–response relationship.
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BibTeX
@article{sun2026effects,
title = {{Effects of different durations of exercise-based pulmonary rehabilitation intervention in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis : A systematic review and meta-analysis}},
author = {Yan Sun and Jingmin Yuan and Meng Li and Meng Fan and Wenrui Li and Bo Zhang and Yan Li and Zhenjing Kang and Hao Cheng and Hui Ren and Mingwei Chen},
journal = {Medicine},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1097/md.0000000000051298},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13727222},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Effects of different durations of exercise-based pulmonary rehabilitation intervention in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis : A systematic review and meta-analysis
AU - Yan Sun
AU - Jingmin Yuan
AU - Meng Li
AU - Meng Fan
AU - Wenrui Li
AU - Bo Zhang
AU - Yan Li
AU - Zhenjing Kang
AU - Hao Cheng
AU - Hui Ren
AU - Mingwei Chen
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/30
JO - Medicine
DO - 10.1097/md.0000000000051298
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13727222
AB - Background:: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a chronic and fatal lung disease causing progressive scarring, severely impairs respiratory function and quality of life. Although pulmonary rehabilitation is an important supportive intervention, the effects of different intervention durations remain uncertain. This study aims to evaluate the effects of exercise-based pulmonary rehabilitation at approximately 3 months/12 weeks, 6 months/26 weeks, and 9 to 12 months/52 weeks in patients with IPF. Methods:: Systematic literature searches were conducted in the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, Scopus, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, Chinese Science and Technology Journal Database, and CBM databases up until May 2024. Included studies assessed the impact of exercise-based pulmonary rehabilitation on patients with IPF, with outcomes measuring six-minute walk distance (6MWD), St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) or its IPF-specific version IPF-specific St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ-I), percent-predicted diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLco%), and dyspnea scores using the modified Medical Research Council Dyspnoea Scale. Only studies published in English or Chinese were included. Results:: Eight studies with 358 participants were analyzed. For 6MWD, pooled effects favored pulmonary rehabilitation at 3 months/12 weeks (mean difference [MD] = 35.98 m, 95% confidence interval [CI] 18.05–53.92), 6 months/26 weeks (MD = 36.53 m, 95% CI 19.62–53.44), and 9 to12 months/52 weeks (MD = 50.98 m, 95% CI 25.94–76.03). SGRQ/SGRQ-I improved at 6 months (MD = −8.16, 95% CI − 12.33–− 4.00) and 9 to 12 months (MD = −8.76, 95% CI − 13.06−4.46), but not clearly at 3 months (MD = −4.08, 95% CI − 9.61–1.45). DLco% improved only at 9 to12 months (MD = 7.85, 95% CI 2.80–12.90). mMRC data were available from 1 study at 12 weeks and 1 study at 6 months and were therefore not pooled within either intervention-duration category. Longest-intervention-duration sensitivity analyses supported benefits for 6MWD and SGRQ/SGRQ-I, whereas DLco% was not statistically significant and the longest-assessment sensitivity analysis for mMRC showed substantial heterogeneity. Conclusion:: Exercise-based pulmonary rehabilitation was associated with improved exercise capacity across the assessed intervention durations. Improvements in health-related quality of life were observed at 6 and 9 to12 months, whereas evidence for lung function and dyspnea remained limited. The intervention-duration analyses were exploratory and did not establish a duration–response relationship.
SN - 0304-5412
SN - 1536-5964
SN - 0025-7974
ER -