Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of death, and cardiovascular (CV) comorbidities play a role. Evidence of the pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) effect in reducing the CV risk (CVR) in COPD patients is limited. In this study, we aimed to determine the impact of an 8-week PR program (PRP) on the CVR of the overall population and to compare the impact on the exacerbator versus non-exacerbator patients.

This was a prospective study that included adults who had post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) to forced vital capacity (FVC) (FEV1/FVC) ratio <70 % and FEV1 <80 % predicted, had quit smoking for at least 1 year and had a history of tobacco consumption greater than 10 packs/year, and were clinically stable in the last 8 weeks. Pre- and post-PRP assessments included respiratory function evaluation, laboratory tests, and exercise capacity assessment (6-min walking test [6MWT]). CVR was assessed using different risk prediction models.

A total of 50 patients (28 exacerbators and 22 non-exacerbators) completed the PRP (median age: 64.5 years, men: 72 %; arterial hypertension: 70 %, dyslipidemia: 30 %, diabetes: 20 %; CV disease (CVD): 24 %. After the PRP, exacerbator patients showed a significant decrease in the CVR calculated by the COPDCoRi model (p < 0.001); patients with ≥30-m increase on the 6MWT showed statistically significant lower levels of glucose (p = 0.004), HbA1c (p = 0.004) and BODE index score (p = 0.026) compared to patients with <30-m increase.

PR reduced certain modifiable CVR factors and CVD risk, especially in exacerbator patients.