[Clinical and functional course of a group of patients with COPD under controlled medical-rehabilitative treatment over a 6-year period].

Functional and clinical tests were performed on a group of 36 patients with COPD for 6 years. During this period they had medical treatment as well as cycles of respiratory rehabilitation (diaphragmatic breathing and exercise training). After this period the resistance to muscular work was greatly enhanced in 9 subjects (25%), enhanced in 25 (69%), little enhanced in 2. Functional respiratory parameters did not change in a significant way, thus indicating the stability of the disease, which did not worsen. One interesting feature was the mean reduction in residual volume (-32%, p less than 0.001). This may indicate that a better coordination of the diaphragm can reduce pulmonary hyperinflation. The ventilatory pattern spontaneously changed towards a stability of ventilation, with increased respiratory frequency and reduced tidal volume.