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Updated: Mar 19, 2026

Home-Based Prescribed Pulmonary Exercise in Patients with Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Published on: August 24, 2019
Unexpected improvements of lung function in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Marko Topalovic1, Tuur Helsen1, Thierry Troosters2
1Respiratory Medicine, University Hospital Leuven, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, KU Leuven, Belgium.
Abstract:
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is usually characterized by a progressive decline of lung function. We reported the 10 years follow-up of an elderly man, a heavy smoker with severe COPD and apical bullous emphysema. During 6 months pulmonary rehabilitation program the patient's clinical state improved significantly and it associated with a steep increase in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1). This case report elaborates on the unexpected gain of FEV1 in the follow-up of a COPD patient.
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