Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41913133›Full record

SynthesisBMC pulmonary medicine2026

Effect of pulmonary rehabilitation on lung function and quality of life in pulmonary tuberculosis survivors with post-tuberculosis lung disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abraham Tekola Gebremedhn, Kidist Bobosha, Hawult Taye Adane, Yeabsira Alemu Fantaye, Dawit Girma Abebe, Tsegab Alemayehu Bukate, Nebiat Adane Mera, Minyahil Tadesse Boltena

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC pulmonary medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Abraham Tekola GebremedhnArmauer Hansen Research Institute, Ministry of Health, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. abratekola@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0006-2688-6198
Kidist BoboshaArmauer Hansen Research Institute, Ministry of Health, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Hawult Taye AdaneArmauer Hansen Research Institute, Ministry of Health, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Yeabsira Alemu FantayeArmauer Hansen Research Institute, Ministry of Health, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Dawit Girma AbebeDepartment of Internal Medicine, ALERT Comprehensive specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Tsegab Alemayehu BukateArmauer Hansen Research Institute, Ministry of Health, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Nebiat Adane MeraYekatit 12 Hospital Medical college, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Minyahil Tadesse BoltenaArmauer Hansen Research Institute, Ministry of Health, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5081-1480

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPost-tuberculosis lung disease (PTLD) is a significant global public health challenge. The contribution PTLD on long-term morbidity and impaired quality of life is increasingly recognized. There is limited evidence on effective management strategies of PTLD. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effect of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in improving lung function and health related quality of life (HRQoL) among individuals with post-tuberculosis lung disease.

methodsThis systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted by following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines. Studies involving pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) survivors who had completed treatment and developed post-TB lung disease (PTLD), as defined by the individual studies, were included. A comprehensive literature search was conducted on PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, ClinicalTrials.gov and Google scholar between July 25 and August 1, 2025. Data were extracted by two individuals using a structured, pre-designed Excel form. The extracted data were cleaned and analyzed using R software version 4.5. A random effect model was employed to accommodate methodological variation.

resultsA total of 13 studies, including one randomized controlled trial, one prospective cohort study, and 11 pre-post interventional studies, consisting of 747 participants were included. With very low certainty evidence, the pooled mean change of 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) was 60.04 m (95% CI: 27.83−92.20). Low certainty evidence showed the pooled mean change in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁), forced vital capacity (FVC), the ratio of forced expiratory volume to forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) and partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood (pao2) were 0.07 L (95% CI: 0.01;0.14), 0.06 L (95% CI: -0.02;0.14), 1.06% (95% CI: -1.66;3.78) and 2.64 mmHg (95% CI: 0.15;5.12) respectively. The mean change in SGRQ scores was −18.85 (95% CI: −22.43−15.27) based on low certainty evidence.

conclusionDespite methodological heterogeneity and lack of randomized controlled study, pulmonary rehabilitation is a promising intervention in improving exercise tolerance, lung function and HRQoL of PTLD patients, though the certainty of evidence ranges from low to very low. More high-quality Randomized Clinical Trial (RCT) and longitudinal studies are needed to have strong evidence to recommend PR programs as part of regular recommendation for PTLD care to achieve better health outcomes.

Indexed as

LungQuality of LifeTuberculosis, PulmonaryHumansRespiratory Function TestsSurvivorsInterventionsMeta-analysisPost-tuberculosis lung diseasePulmonary rehabilitationSystematic reviewTB survivor

Identifiers

PMID41913133
PMCPMC13154863

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.