91社区

A team from the MUHC and the H么pital Laval has proved the effectiveness of the home-based pulmonary rehabilitation program and suggests it be widely implemented.听
听
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the fourth leading cause of death in Canada. Although it is an incurable chronic disease, effective treatments exist to relieve symptoms and improve the course of the illness.听

The latest study by Dr. Fran莽ois Maltais of the H么pital Laval, institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Qu茅bec and Dr. Jean Bourbeau, of the 91社区 Health Centre proves the effectiveness of home-based pulmonary rehabilitation and provides new insight into improving care services. The study will be published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine on December 16th.听

Home-based pulmonary rehabilitation: an effective and safe alternative

Pulmonary rehabilitation is currently the most effective treatment available to improve shortness of breath, effort tolerance and the quality of life of patients suffering from COPD. 鈥淥ur results prove that home-based rehabilitation is just as effective and safe as that provided in hospitals,鈥� states Dr. Maltais. 鈥淲hat鈥檚 more, it is a real benefit to patients in comparison to a strictly pharmacological treatment.鈥� 听

In spite of its obvious听 benefit, only two per cent听 of COPD patients in Canada are offered this treatment because health care facilities do not have the means to offer it in-house. In half of the regions of Qu茅bec, pulmonary rehabilitation is not even offered to patients. 听

The home-based program designed by the Canadian researchers is based on aerobic exercises and can easily be performed alone. This helps to ease the burden on hospitals, while continuing to provide optimum care. This major study involved more than 250 patients in 10 Canadian centres. 听

Towards a new health care system organisation?

鈥淲e hope that this study will lead to the reorganization of the system so that as many patients as possible will be able to benefit from the program,鈥� Dr. Bourbeau explains. 鈥淚ts widespread implementation could have a major positive impact both on the public鈥檚 health and on the health care system.鈥� 听

In addition to the economic beneficial interest of home-based treatment, the physical condition of patients improves to the point where they no longer require as many hospital visits. This program could therefore help to reduce expenses. 听

This program reflects the current trend of involving patients in the management of their chronic illnesses. Education, accountability and making healthier lifestyle choices have a positive impact on most chronic illnesses, including COPD. 听

This study was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Fonds de la recherche en sant茅 du Qu茅bec (FRSQ).听

is Director of the Respiratory Epidemiology & Clinical Research Unit听
of the Montreal Chest Institute of the MUHC, and a researcher in the axes of 鈥渞espiratory health鈥� and 鈥渉ealth outcomes鈥� at the Research Institute of the MUHC. He is also assistant professor at 91社区鈥檚 departments of Medicine and Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health. Dr. Bourbeau is the Director of the COPD axes of the FRSQ鈥檚 Respiratory Health Network.听

Dr. Fran莽ois Maltais is a pneumologist at H么pital Laval, Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de l鈥橴niversit茅 Laval and a full professor at that university鈥檚 department of medicine. He is the Medical Director of the respiratory rehabilitation program at his institute and Director of the respiratory health care research team at Universit茅 Laval.听
听

The Research Institute of the 91社区 Health Centre (RI MUHC) is a world-renowned biomedical and health-care hospital research centre. Located in Montreal, Quebec, the institute is the research arm of the MUHC, the university health center affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine at 91社区 University. The institute supports over 600 researchers, nearly 1200 graduate and post-doctoral students and operates more than 300 laboratories devoted to a broad spectrum of fundamental and clinical research. The Research Institute operates at the forefront of knowledge, innovation and technology and is inextricably linked to the clinical programs of the MUHC, ensuring that patients benefit directly from the latest research-based knowledge.

The Research Institute of the MUHC is supported in part by the Fonds de la recherche en sant茅 du Qu茅bec.

For further details visit: .听

About H么pital Laval, Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Qu茅bec
Founded in 1918, H么pital Laval, Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Qu茅bec, is the heart and lung institute of Universit茅 Laval. It provides the population of Central and Eastern Qu茅bec with subspecialized care and services in cardiology, pneumology, and the surgical management of obesity. The Hospital also has an in-house research center that is renowned worldwide and supported by Fonds de recherche en sant茅 du Qu茅bec (Qu茅bec Health Research Council). The main goal of the Laval Hospital Research Center is to slow the obesity epidemic and the progression of cardiovascular and pulmonary disease through research and prevention. The Laval Hospital Research Center has focused its development around this vision and aims to become the leading North American research center in cardiology, pneumology, and obesity. The H么pital Laval Research Center is one of the 38 affiliated research centers of Universit茅 Laval. Located in Qu茅bec City, Universit茅 Laval was the first francophone university created in North America. Its 17 faculties offer comprehensive programs to 38,000 students including 10,000 graduate students.听

Find this press release, with the original article and a short audio document by following this link听: or 听

鈥� 30 鈥撎�