Good news for patients with emphysema. Results from the NETT trial show that pulmonary rehabilitation can significantly improve health-related quality of life for patients with emphysema.

Emphysema is a disorder characterized by destruction of lung tissue, including its elastic fibers. By reducing the elasticity of the lungs and destroying the walls of some of the air sacs, emphysema leads to the collapse of the airways, reducing airflow. More than three million Americans have emphysema, which is most common among men age 65 and older. Emphysema claims more than 15,000 lives each year; one of them was Johnny Carson.

Pulmonary rehabilitation is quite effective for patients with advanced emphysema and plays an important role in preparing and selecting patients for lung surgery, according to results of the National Emphysema Treatment Trial, or NETT.

NETT was the first multicenter clinical trial designed to determine the role, safety, and effectiveness of bilateral lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) in the treatment of emphysema. The trial also aimed to develop criteria for identifying patients who are likely to benefit from the procedure. The researchers studied 1,218 patients with severe emphysema who underwent pulmonary rehabilitation before and after they received either LVRS or continued medical management.

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a comprehensive preventive healthcare program designed to help people cope physically, psychologically, and socially with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Bottom line: The NETT investigators found that pulmonary rehabilitation produced significant improvements in exercise capacity, breathing problems, and health-related quality of life. But, they added, it is not widely used. If you have severe emphysema, ask your doctor where you can find pulmonary rehabilitation to help you manage your condition, whether or not you undergo LVRS. [Results of the NETT trial were reported in the journal Chest, Volume 128, page 3799.]