[Respiratory rehabilitation of the elderly patient: results and prospects]

The epidemiology and the principal indications of the pulmonary rehabilitation are firstly summarized, along with its peculiar aspects in the aged people. Then the outcomes of some significant studies are described, taking into consideration three areas of objectives aimed by the authors: improving quality of life, increasing survival, and assessing some physiological parameters. Finally, a few guidelines in the field of the pulmonary rehabilitation research are highlighted particularly emphasizing the singly-used therapeutic techniques and the control group.