What happened?
A 73-year-old man with moderate COPD experienced breathlessness and functional decline after stopping regular exercise. A structured programme was delivered through a primary-care setting, demonstrating one practical service model.
Clinical findings
- Moderate COPD with exertional dyspnoea and reduced functional capacity.
- Baseline six-minute walk distance was 303 metres.
- The report also measured lower-limb function, daily activity limitations and anxiety.
Rehabilitation described in the report
- A 16-week pulmonary rehabilitation programme with weekly supervised breathing, aerobic and resistance training, education, and home exercise twice weekly.
- The programme was delivered with clinical monitoring and no adverse events were reported in this case.
Reported outcomes
- mMRC dyspnoea grade improved from 2 to 1.
- Six-minute walk distance increased from 303 to 380 metres; 10-times sit-to-stand increased from 10 to 18 repetitions.
- Borg exertion score changed from 7 to 4; anxiety score and activity limitations also improved.
Clinical lessons to consider
- Pulmonary rehabilitation can be delivered outside a hospital when appropriate staffing and monitoring are available.
- Measure exercise capacity and patient-reported outcomes, not breathlessness alone.
- Adherence and emotional wellbeing are clinically relevant parts of the story.
Limitations — what this case cannot tell us
- Single case with no comparison group; it cannot establish effectiveness for all COPD populations.
- The programme's safety depends on screening, individualization and appropriate monitoring.
Original source
Verónica Esteves, Sara Diogo Gonçalves. “Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Primary Care: Functional and Emotional Impact in a Patient with COPD: A Case Report.” Reports, 2025. DOI: 10.3390/reports8040257
View the original publicationThis page is an independently written educational summary, not a reproduction of the full paper. Check the original article for complete methods, outcome tables, references and licensing.