Aerobic Retraining in Combined Pulmonary Fibrosis/Emphysema

Discussion

In this case study we evaluated whether a patient with CPFE, a disease which has not yet been considered for pulmonary rehabilitation, can benefit from an aerobic retraining program. Emphysema and pulmonary fibrosis are progressive lung diseases that may be associated with comorbidities and systemic consequences. CPFE syndrome typically occurs in male smokers and is frequently complicated by pulmonary hypertension, acute lung injury, and lung cancer, which affect disease progression and survival. In the literature there are no reports on the efficacy of physical retraining in patients with CPFE, in contrast with other lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis where clinical studies have demonstrated the benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation. Clinically relevant improvements and short-term benefits were clearly demonstrated in this report as a result of a retraining program. Although clinical studies on long-term effects within a large patient population are required for definitive conclusions, our observations suggest that integrating pulmonary rehabilitation with pharmacological treatments would be beneficial for patients with CPFE.