The investigators conducted a case-control study with a follow up after 6 weeks (short term). All the participants on recruited were evaluated clinically. A high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scan of the chest was performed to confirm the diagnosis of f-ILD as well as a spirometry. All the patients were subjected to cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), 6-minute walk test (6-MWT), evaluation of dyspnea using mMRC dyspnea scale, and evaluation of health related quality of life using St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). The control group were followed up by telephone calls. The intervention groups (LL and ULB) were subjected randomly to aerobic exercise training for 6 weeks. After termination of all the session, the patients were re-evaluated clinically and objectively using CPET, 6-MWT, mMRC and SGRQ. Also, we evaluated the outcome of the patients (control and intervention groups) as those who died or reported exacerbation of the underlying disease were recorded.
The current study recruited patients with fibrosing interstitial lung diseases (f-ILD) whatever was the underlying pathology. The investigators aimed to compare the effects of aerobic exercises for lower limbs (LL) versus upper limbs, lower limbs, and breathing exercises (ULB) on the peak exercise measurements that was measured using cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), dyspnea and health related quality of life assessment in this group of patients.