Table 4.
Effect of HA and LA rehabilitation on Quality of Life
| Low altitude | High altitude | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baseline | End of rehabilitation (3 weeks) | Follow-up (3 months) | Baseline | End of rehabilitation (3 weeks) | Follow-up (3 months) | Between group difference of change BL-3w | Between group difference of change BL-3 m | |
| AQLQ Score | 3.6 (3.1;4.8) | 5.5 (4.4;6.4)*** | 5.1 (3.8;5.9)*** | 3.9 (3.1;4.6) | 5.6 (4.4;6.3)*** | 4.9 (3.5;6.2)* | −.0 (−.7 to .8) | −.5 (−1.6 to .3) |
| AQLQ Activity limitation | 4.3 (3.5;5.1) | 5.7 (4.4;6.3)** | 5.0 (4.3;5.9)*** | 4.4 (3.5;5.0) | 5.9 (4.8;6.4)*** | 5.0 (3.8;6.4)** | .0 (−.7 to .7) | −.1 (−.7 to .6) |
| AQLQ Symptoms | 3.8 (3.3;4.9) | 6.0 (4.9;6.5)*** | 5.5 (4.0;6.0)** | 3.7 (3.1;4.8) | 5.4 (4.4;6.6)*** | 5.5 (3.2;6.5)* | −.2 (−1 to .7) | −.5 (−1.9 to .4) |
| AQLQ Emotional function | 3.4 (2.5;4.5) | 5.0 (4.1;6.0)** | 4.7 (3.7;6.4)*** | 3.6 (2.7;4.6) | 5.3 (3.8;6.6)*** | 4.8 (2.8;6.0)** | .0 (−.8 to .8) | −.4 (−1.4 to .4) |
| AQLQ Environ-mental stimuli | 3.3 (2.1;4.0) | 5.0 (3.2;6.2)** | 4.3 (3.3;5.5)** | 3.0 (2.6;4.5) | 5.0 (4.6;5.9)*** | 4.6 (3.0;5.7)** | .0 (−1 to .8) | .0 (−1 to .8) |
| SF − 36, PCS | 40 (35;43) | 40 (36;46) | 42 (36;47) | 50 (43;54) | 46 (38;52) | 51 (45;54) | -3 (−10 to 3) | −1 (−5 to 4) |
| SF − 36, MCS | 44 (36;49) | 41 (34;48) | 44 (36;50) | 51 (47;56) | 48 (41;55) | 58 (56;61) | -3 (−12 to 5) | 5 (−2 to 11) |
Note: Data are given as median (quartiles) and median difference (confidence interval)
Abbreviations: AQLQ Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire, SF-36 Short-form 36, PCS Physical component score, MCS mental summary score
*: p < 0.05; **: p < 0.01; ***: p < 0.001 tested with Wilcoxon test for paired samples (baseline vs. 3 week follow up and baseline vs. 3 months follow up)