Telerehabilitation Programme as a Maintenance Strategy for COPD Patients: A 12-Month Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: There is uncertainty regarding efficacy of telehealth-based approaches in COPD patients for sustaining benefits achieved with intensive pulmonary rehabilitation (PR).

Research Question: To determine whether a maintenance pulmonary telerehabilitation (TelePR) programme, after intensive initial PR, is superior to usual care in sustaining over time benefits achieved by intensive PR.

Study Design And Methods: A multicentre open-label pragmatic parallel-group randomized clinical trial was conducted.

[Review of the utilization of the RAND appropriateness method in the biomedical literature (1999-2004)].

Objectives: To identify and describe studies using the RAND/UCLA method to evaluate the appropriateness of health procedures. This method is a consensus technique that involves several phases to develop appropriateness criteria.

Methods: We performed a literature search in 2005.

[Early discharge and home health care program for patients with exacerbated COPD and asthma].

Objective: To shorten hospital stays of patients with exacerbated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma by way of a home care program and to assess whether the program increased the number of readmissions.

Methods: Patients admitted due to COPD exacerbation or asthma who did not need critical care and were discharged before the fourth day. A registered nurse experienced with respiratory disease patients and in regular contact with the pneumologist who supervised the program made follow-up home care visits to give instructions and check compliance with treatment.