Pulmonary rehabilitation is aimed to increase the level of health of patients with COPD by increasing their self care ability. A recent updated systematic review concluded that evidence strongly supports respiratory rehabilitation as part of the spectrum of management of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Studies of pulmonary rehabilitation programs lasting up to 18 months show that effects are mainly maintained throughout the duration of the program. The long term effect, however, is mostly studied for programs of shorter durations. Some of the studies with shorter duration have found that the achieved benefit was lost or diminished during the follow up period, while others have found that the effect has been maintained up to 18 months. Our necessity in the rehabilitative field is to find strategies to maintain benefits during time.
