Impact of Fluticasone Propionate and Salmeterol Combined with Pulmonary Rehabilitation on Pulmonary Function, Exercise Tolerance, and Quality of Life in Elderly Patients with Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

<b>Aims/Background</b> Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common respiratory disease characterized by persistent respiratory problems. COPD has become a major public health concern worldwide as the population ages. Therefore, we investigated the impact of fluticasone propionate and salmeterol inhalation combined with pulmonary rehabilitation on pulmonary function, exercise tolerance, and quality of life in elderly patients with stable COPD. <b>Methods</b> This retrospective study included 102 elderly patients with stable COPD who were treated between January 2021 and October 2023. Based on previous treatment regimens, patients were divided into a fluticasone propionate and salmeterol inhalation combined with a pulmonary rehabilitation group (n = 58) and a pulmonary rehabilitation alone group (n = 44). We collected baseline data upon admission and other relevant data after 3 months of follow-up. Furthermore, we evaluated pulmonary function [forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), peak expiratory flow (PEF)], inflammatory markers [interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), tumour necrosis factor-β (TNF-β)], exercise tolerance [6-minute walk test (6MWT)], and quality of life [COPD Assessment Test (CAT), and St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ)] between the two experimental groups. Additionally, the recurrence rate and adverse events during the 3-month follow-up were examined. <b>Results</b> Compared to baseline, FEV1, FVC, PEF, and 6MWT levels were significantly improved in both groups at the 3-month follow-up, with the combined treatment group performing better than the pulmonary rehabilitation alone group (<i>p</i> < 0.05). CAT and SGRQ scores decreased significantly, with the combined treatment group scoring lower than the pulmonary rehabilitation alone group (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Inflammatory markers, such as IL-8, IL-6, TNF-α, and TNF-β were significantly reduced in the combined treatment group and were lower than in the pulmonary rehabilitation alone group (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The recurrence rate in the combined treatment group was significantly lower than in the pulmonary rehabilitation alone group (<i>p</i> = 0.018), with no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between the two groups (<i>p</i> > 0.05). <b>Conclusion</b> Fluticasone propionate and salmeterol inhalation combined with pulmonary rehabilitation can reduce recurrence rates, and improve pulmonary function, inflammatory status, and exercise tolerance, thereby significantly enhancing the quality of life for elderly patients with stable COPD.