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. 2023 Oct 1;27(10):729–741. doi: 10.5588/ijtld.23.0248

Table 2.

Indications for pulmonary rehabilitation

Indications Essential and conditional examinations/investigations Adaptation to special setting and situations
Reported symptoms: fatigue (or exhaustion or asthenia or weakness) and or dyspnoea, cough, chest pain17,52,54,58,59,70

  • Modified Borg Scale (0–10) or Visual Analogue Scale


In alternative or addition:

  • Fatigue Severity Scale

  • Chalder Fatigue Scale

  • Checklist Individual Strength

  • Medical Research Council

  • Barthel Dyspnoea

  • Leicester Cough Questionnaire

  • Modified Borg Scale (0–10) or Visual Analogue Scale
Impaired health-related quality of life57,59,62

  • EuroQol five dimensions, and

  • St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire

  • EuroQol five dimensions, and/or

  • St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire
Impaired ADL/functional status52,54,57,59,61,62

  • Barthel’s Index, and

  • COPD Assessment Test


In alternative or addition:

  • Medical Research Council muscle

  • Post-COVID-19 Functional Status

  • DePaul Post-Exertional Malaise Questionnaire

  • Functional impairment

  • Checklist

  • Functional independence measure

  • Fried frailty index

  • Barthel’s Index, and/or

  • COPD Assessment Test
Impaired exercise capacity52,54,57–59,62,68,71–74

  • Six-min walking test and/or

  • Sit to stand test


In alternative or addition:

  • Cardiopulmonary exercise test

  • One repetition maximum

  • Short Physical Performance Battery

  • 2-min step test

  • 10 m walk test

  • Maximal voluntary contraction

  • Handgrip strength

  • Six-min walking test and/or

  • Sit to stand test

  • 2-min step test
Presence of comorbid conditions, including COPD, asthma, bronchiectasis, pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, cardiac impairment, autonomic nervous system disfunction52,57

  • Clinical history, evaluation for additional tests/examinations

  • Clinical history, evaluation for additional tests/examinations
Impaired pulmonary function23,36,37,57,58,73–76

  • Spirometry and

  • Lung volume if available

  • Diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide

  • Spirometry or PEF if not available
Impaired blood gas analysis and/or exercise-induced desaturation52–54,57,59,69

  • Blood gas analysis, and

  • Pulse oxymetry

  • Pulse oxymetry
Reported anxiety and depression77

  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 and/or

  • Patient Health Questionnaire-9


In alternative or addition:

  • Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale

  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, and/or

  • Patient Health Questionnaire-9

COPD = chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; PEF = peak expiratory flow; ADL = activity of daily life.