Post-operative respiratory rehabilitation after lung resection for non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the efficacy of an inpatient Pulmonary Rehabilitation program (i-PR) after lung resection (LR) for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: From January 2001 to December 2004, 211 out of 618 patients who underwent LR were considered eligible for i-PR. Twenty-five patients accepted the i-PR and were included in the case group. The remaining 186 who refused i-PR were taken as controls. RESULTS: The two study groups were comparable for demographic and surgical characteristics, as well as for the peri-operative morbidity (4\% in the controls and 3\% among patients undergoing i-PR). Most functional parameters among treated patients were improved when baseline versus 1-month figures were compared, despite the strong correction for multiple comparison limited statistical significance to Borg scale dyspnoea on exertion - median - (2 versus 0; p<0.01); pH (7.45 versus 7.42; p<0.05); timed walk-6MWD (297.8m versus 393.4m; p<0.01) and Hb saturation during 6MWD (95.4\% versus 93.9\%; p<0.05). On the contrary, global function in the group of controls was homogeneously decreased (FEV(1) and PEF p