Effect of IMT in Patients After Acute Exacerbations of COPD

The goal of this clinical trial is to test whether home-based inspiratory muscle training can reduce hospital readmissions and death in patients recovering from a severe acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD).

The main questions this study aims to answer are:

Does adding home-based inspiratory muscle training to usual care lower the risk of all-cause hospital readmission or death within 180 days after discharge? Does inspiratory muscle training improve respiratory muscle strength, symptoms of dyspnea, quality of life, and functional capacity compared to usual care?

Researchers will compare patients randomized to:

Intervention group: Home-based inspiratory muscle training plus usual care Control group: Usual care only

to see if inspiratory muscle training leads to fewer readmissions and deaths, and better patient-reported and physiological outcomes.

Participants will:

Be hospitalized for ≥3 days due to AECOPD, age ≥35 years, able to consent, and own a compatible smartphone.

In the intervention group, receives usual care and additionally inspiratory muscle training:

Inspiratory muscle training twice daily for 90 days, then once daily up to day 180, with remote telemonitoring via a smartphone app and online supervised sessions.

The control group will continue with usual care (pharmacological treatment, smoking cessation advice, vaccinations, and referral to pulmonary rehabilitation if available).

Follow-up assessments will include hospital readmissions, survival, and quality of life questionnaires up to 12 months after discharge.