Impact of exercise-based pulmonary rehabilitation on respiratory function and quality of life in pediatric patients with chronic lung diseases: A multidisciplinary approach in Damietta Governorate

Authors

  • Amir Soliman Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Delta University for Science and Technology, Gamasa, Egypt.
  • Mohamed Salah El-Sayed Physiotherapy Department, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Jordan / Department of Physical Therapy for Pediatrics, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Horus University-Egypt, New Damietta, Egypt.
  • Judy Hasan Faculty of Medicine, New Mansoura University, New Mansoura, Egypt.
  • Eman Shawky Department of Chest Medicine, Faculty of medicine, Arish University, Al Arish, Egypt.
  • Walid Elsayed Hussein Ahmed Arafat Department of Physical Therapy for Cardiopulmonary and Geriatrics, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Isra University, Amman, Jordan.
  • Menan A. Elmahdy Department of Orthopedics, Faculty of Physical Therapy, October University for Modern Sciences and Arts (MSA), 6th of October City, Egypt.
  • Heba A. Eid Department of surgery and burn, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Alhayah University for Cairo (AHUC), New Cairo, Cairo, Egypt.
  • Shaza S. Hassan Basic Science Department, Faculty of Physiotherapy, the British University in Egypt, El-Sherouk City, Egypt.
  • Eman K. Mohamed Department of Physical Therapy for Pediatrics, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Egypt.
  • Ahmed Saadeldeen Ibrahem Mansour Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine for Boys, Al Azhar University, Egypt.
  • Mohammed Sobhy Mohammed Mansour Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Al Azhar University, Egypt.
  • Rasha E Salama Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Egypt.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6018/sportk.682631
Keywords: Pulmonary Rehabilitation, Respiratory Function, Quality of Life, Children

Abstract

Chronic lung diseases (CLDs) in children, such as asthma, cystic fibrosis, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia, significantly impact respiratory function and overall quality of life. Exercise-based pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) has emerged as a multidisciplinary approach to improving lung function, exercise capacity, and reducing hospitalization rates. This study assessed the effectiveness of a structured PR program in pediatric patients with CLDs in Damietta Governorate, Egypt. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 400 pediatric patients with CLDs (aged 6–16 years) divided equally into intervention and control groups. The intervention group underwent a 12-week exercise-based PR program incorporating respiratory training, airway clearance techniques, and physical therapy, while children in the control group received standard medical care consisting of routine follow-ups, medication management, and lifestyle counseling without structured rehabilitation exercises. Post-intervention results demonstrated significant improvements in forced expiratory volume (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), peak expiratory flow, six-minute walk test (6MWT), and quality of life scores (p < 0.001). Additionally, hospitalization frequency and medication dependency were significantly reduced (p < 0.001). The findings reveal that exercise-based PR significantly improves pulmonary function, exercise tolerance, and overall quality of life in children with chronic lung diseases. Additionally, PR effectively reduces hospitalization rates and medication dependency, offering a sustainable approach to disease management.

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Published
07-10-2025
How to Cite
Soliman, A., El-Sayed, M. S., Hasan, J., Shawky, E., Hussein Ahmed Arafat, W. E., Elmahdy, M. A., … Salama, R. E. (2025). Impact of exercise-based pulmonary rehabilitation on respiratory function and quality of life in pediatric patients with chronic lung diseases: A multidisciplinary approach in Damietta Governorate. SPORT TK-EuroAmerican Journal of Sport Sciences, 14, 87. https://doi.org/10.6018/sportk.682631
Issue
Vol. 14 (2025)
Section
Articles

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The works and papers that are published in this Journal are subject to the following terms:

1. The Publication Service of the University of Murcia (the publisher) has the Publication Rights (Copyright) to the published papers and works, and favors and permits the reusing of the same under the license indicated in point 2.

© Servicio de Publicaciones, Universidad de Murcia, 2013

2. The papers and works are to be published in the digital edition of the Journal under the license Creative Commons Reconocimiento-No Comercial-Sin Obra Derivada 3.0 España (legal text). The copying, using, spreading, transmitting and publicly displaying of the papers, works or publication are permitted as long as: i) the authors and original sources (Journal, publisher and URL of the publication) are quoted; ii) it is not used for commercial benefit; iii) the existence and specifications of this users license are mentioned.

3. Conditions of Self-Archiving. It is permitted and encouraged that the authors spread electronically the pre-print (before printing) and/or post-print (the revised, evaluated and accepted) versions of their papers or works before their publication since this favors their circulation and early diffusion and therefore can help increase their citation and quotation, and also there reach through the academic community.