Effect of A Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program on Dyspnea Severity Assessed by the Modified Medical Research Council Scale in Patients with Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Abstract

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a progressive lung disease characterized by persistent airflow limitation and chronic respiratory symptoms, particularly dyspnea, which negatively impacts functional capacity and quality of life. Pulmonary rehabilitation is an essential component of COPD management; however, its effectiveness in reducing dyspnea in stable COPD patients at the local healthcare level still requires further evaluation. To determine the effect of a pulmonary rehabilitation program on dyspnea severity assessed by  Modified Medical Research Council Scale (mMRC). This study employed a quasi-experimental one-group pretest–posttest design to evaluate the effect of a pulmonary rehabilitation program on dyspnea severity, as measured by the mMRC scale, among 28 male subjects with stable COPD recruited through consecutive sampling. Dyspnea severity was assessed using the mMRC scale before and after a 4-week pulmonary rehabilitation program. Demographic and clinical data were collected at baseline. Statistical analyses were performed using the Shapiro–Wilk test and paired t-test or Wilcoxon signed-rank test, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Most patients were elderly, predominantly aged 60–69 years. Before the intervention, the majority experienced moderate to severe dyspnea. After pulmonary rehabilitation, there was a shift toward lower mMRC scores, indicating clinical improvement. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference between pre- and post-intervention scores (Z = −3.771; p < 0.001) with a very large effect size (r = 0.97), indicating a strong impact of pulmonary rehabilitation on reducing dyspnea in stable COPD patients. Pulmonary rehabilitation is effective in reducing dyspnea severity and improving functional condition in patients with stable COPD.