Objective: To verify whether a two-day pulmonary rehabilitation program that included positive expiratory pressure (PEP) breathing, the active-cycle breathing technique (ACBT), and upper-limb exercises could improve pulmonary function and dyspnea in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD).

Material and Methods: Thirty-two patients were randomly assigned to either the group that received the Combination of PEP breathing, ACBT, and Upper-limb exercises (CPAU group) or the control group, which received the usual care protocol (i.e., pursed-lips breathing technique, diaphragmatic breathing technique, and chest mobilization). Slow vital capacity (SVC) and the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were evaluated before and after the pulmonary rehabilitation program. A paired-sample t-test was used to compare within-group differences, while ANCOVA was used to compare between-group differences. A p-value of ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: After the intervention, SVC was significantly higher in the CPAU group (p-value<0.05), whereas no statistically significant change was found in the control group (p-value>0.05). However, both groups experienced no statistically significant change in RPE after the intervention period (p-value>0.05). Regarding the comparison between the 2 groups, there were significant differences only in SVC (p-value<0.05). No adverse events were identified.

Conclusion: The two-day CPAU program could be effectively used to increase SVC in patients with AECOPD.