The Effects of Respiratory Training Combined with Limb Exercise on Pulmonary Function and Quality of Life in Patients with Bronchiectasis

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of respiratory rehabilitation training combined with limb rehabilitation on sputum clearance and quality of life in patients with bronchiectasis. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 86 patients with bronchiectasis was divided into an intervention group and an observation group, with 43 cases in each group. All patients were above 18 years of age with no history of relevant drug allergies. Patients in the observation group were treated with conventional drugs, and those in the intervention group were given respiratory rehabilitation training and limb rehabilitation on this basis. After three months of treatment, the indexes of sputum discharge, sputum traits, lung function, and the 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) were compared and quality of life and survival skills were assessed using the Barthel index and a quality-of-life comprehensive assessment questionnaire (GQOLI-74). RESULTS: The percentage of patients with mild Barthel index in the intervention group was higher than that in the observation group, and the difference between the groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). After treatment, the scores of life quality and the lung function in the intervention group were higher than those in the observation group (both P < 0.05). After three months of treatment, the sputum volume and sputum viscosity scores of the two groups were higher than those before treatment (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Respiratory rehabilitation training with limb exercise rehabilitation can effectively improve the sputum clearance rate, lung function, and quality of life of patients with bronchiectasis and is thus worthy of clinical promotion and application.