Introduction:

Comprehensive treatment for patients with interstitial lung diseases includes physical training, given the physiological effects that are generated. The objective of this study is to analyze the impact of aerobic exercise in the treatment for patients with interstitial lung diseases.

Methods:

Clinical trials (January 2015- June 2020) were searched in indexed databases such as Ebsco, Scopus, Medline, Medscape, PubMed Central, EMBASE, Redalyc, DOAJ and OVID. PICO, Cochrane and PEDro scale were used in each selected study.

Results:

Eleven clinical trials were included for this review and the quality of the studies was medium to high. All studies included the training component of aerobic exercise combined with other strategies such as strength development, endurance, flexibility. Significant changes were demonstrated in over 50% of the studies for the aerobic capacity component, maximum oxygen consumption, cardiovascular function and quality of life. Other studies, however, did not demonstrate significant differences in lung function tests, changes in ventilatory, gas exchange or cardiovascular variables as indicated by some authors in the studies conducted.

Conclusions:

Aerobic exercise proved to be a component that improved results in aerobic capacity evidenced in distance and meters traveled after a 6-minute walk, as well as in quality of life, maximum oxygen consumption, strength and resistance, but not in ventilatory variables and exchange gaseous.