Effectiveness of circuit training in pulmonary rehabilitation for patients with COPD, post-COVID syndrome and asthma

Saoussen, Naas and Kolozsvári, Dóra and Varga, Luca and Tassó, Zsófia and Hammer, Dániel and Palmer, Erik József and Polivka, Lőrinc and Jáky-Kováts, Zsuzsanna Ágnes and Müller, Veronika and Varga, János Tamás (2025) Effectiveness of circuit training in pulmonary rehabilitation for patients with COPD, post-COVID syndrome and asthma. PHYSIOLOGY INTERNATIONAL, 112 (4). pp. 474-491. ISSN 2498-602X

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Abstract

Pulmonary rehabilitation plays a central role in the management of chronic respiratory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), post-COVID syndrome, and asthma. Circuit training is a well-established method in COPD, but has been less studied in post-COVID and asthma. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a structured circuit training program on pulmonary function, exercise capacity, and dyspnea across these three groups.A prospective, quasi-experimental study was conducted with 30 patients (15 COPD, 11 post-COVID, 4 asthma). Participants completed a 12-week supervised circuit training program, which was delivered four times per week in 60-min sessions. Assessments at baseline and post-intervention included spirometry (FEV1, FVC, TLC, IVC), six-minute walk distance (6MWD), and the modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea score.In COPD patients, FEV1 increased by 7.7% of the predicted value (P < 0.001), FVC by 5.7% (P < 0.01), and 6MWD by 59 m (P < 0.01), with mMRC decreasing from 3.2 ± 0.8 to 1.4 ± 0.6 (P < 0.01). In post-COVID participants, FEV1 increased by 9.1% (P < 0.001), FVC by 6.6% (P < 0.001), and 6MWD by 82 m (P < 0.01), while mMRC improved from 3.5 ± 0.9 to 1.4 ± 0.6 (P < 0.01). Asthma patients demonstrated a 4.9% increase in FEV1 (P = 0.012), a 3.5% increase in FVC (P = 0.045), and a 41-m increase in 6MWD (P < 0.01), with mMRC improving from 2.7 ± 0.7 to 1.5 ± 0.5 (P < 0.01). IVC improved in all groups (P ≤ 0.051). There were no adverse events; adherence exceeded 85%.Circuit training produced clinically meaningful spirometric improvements in COPD, as well as functional and symptomatic benefits across all groups. The findings support circuit training as a safe, feasible, and scalable modality in pulmonary rehabilitation for heterogeneous respiratory populations.

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