Table 4

Between-group differences following the intervention for each subgroup

	Mean difference (95% CI)			p Value
	Asbestosis n=22	IPF n=61	CTD-ILD n=23	Group	Time	Subgroup	Group×Subgroup×Time
6MWD (m)
9 weeks	68 (10 to 124)	31 (−5 to 66)	3 (−53 to 60)	0.006	0.008	0.73	0.18
6 months	92 (36 to 148)	0.9 (−36 to 38)	21 (−35 to 77)	0.006	0.008	0.73	0.18
CRDQ Dyspnoea
9 weeks	1.5 (−3.1 to 6.2)	3.1 (0.1 to 6.0)	2.8 (−2.0 to 7.5)	0.05	0.59	0.27	0.61
6 months	−0.2 (−4.9 to 4.5)	1.5 (−1.5 to 4.6)	3.6 (−1.1 to 8.2)	0.05	0.59	0.27	0.61
CRDQ Fatigue
9 weeks	4.1 (0.4 to 7.7)	2.0 (−0.3 to 4.3)	−0.4 (−4.1 to 3.4)	0.05	0.46	0.99	0.17
6 months	1.4 (−2.2 to 5.1)	1.1 (−1.3 to 3.5)	1.8 (−1.9 to 5.4)	0.05	0.46	0.99	0.17
CRDQ Emotion function
9 weeks	5.3 (−0.5 to 11.0)	3.0 (−0.7 to 6.6)	−0.8 (−6.7 to 5.1)	0.05	0.79	0.88	0.18*
6 months	4.6 (−1.1 to 10.4)	1.2 (−2.6 to5.0)	1.9 (−3.9 to 7.7)	0.05	0.79	0.88	0.18*
CRDQ Mastery
9 weeks	4.9 (0.4–9.5)	3.7 (0.8 to 6.5)	−2.0 (−6.8 to 2.6)	0.07	0.05	0.99	0.005*
6 months	2.2 (−2.4 to 6.8)	−0.7 (−3.7 to 2.3)	3.1 (−1.5 to 7.7)	0.07	0.05	0.99	0.005*
SGRQ-I Symptoms
9 weeks	−19.8 (−37.3 to −3.4)	−3.9 (−13.4 to 5.6)	−9.9 (−25.4 to 5.6)	<0.001	0.67	0.03	0.50
6 months	−19.9 (−37.5 to −3.2)	−4.7 (−14.8 to 5.4)	−9.9 (−25.1 to 5.3)	<0.001	0.67	0.03	0.50
SGRQ-I Activity
9 weeks	−14.6 (−30 to −0.9)	−7.2 (−15.6 to 1.1)	0.1 (−13.6 to 13.8)	0.03	0.29	0.42	0.65
6 months	−8.0 (−21.4 to 5.4)	−3.0 (−11.8 to 5.8)	−8.2 (−21.6 to 5.2)	0.03	0.29	0.42	0.65
SGRQ-I Impact
9 weeks	−7.4 (−18.4 to 3.7)	−6.4 (−13.3 to0.5)	−2.0 (−13.2 to 9.3)	0.22	0.72	0.003	0.50
6 months	0.1 (−11.1 to 10.9)	0.8 (−6.5 to 8.1)	−2.7 (−13.7 to 8.4)	0.22	0.72	0.003	0.50
SGRQ-I Total
9 weeks	−9.6 (−18.3 to −0.4)	−5.7 (−11.1 to 0.3)	−2.8 (−11.6 to 6.0)	0.01	0.78	0.004	0.56
6 months	−5.0 (−13.6 to 3.7)	−0.8 (−6.5 to 5.0)	−4.6 (−13.3 to 4.1)	0.01	0.78	0.004	0.56
MMRC Dyspnoea scale
9 weeks	−1.0 (−1.7 to −0.3)	0.009 (−0.4 to 0.5)	−0.1 (−0.8 to 0.6)	0.03	0.81	0.31	0.36
6 months	−0.7 (−1.4 to −0.005)	−0.3 (−0.8 to 0.1)	−0.06 (−0.8 to 0.7)	0.03	0.81	0.31	0.36
UCSD SOBQ
9 weeks	−13.5 (−27.9 to 0.9)	6.5 (−2.5 to 15.6)	13.5 (−1.2 to 28.2)	0.94	0.23	0.31	0.13
6 months	−7.5 (−21.8 to 6.9)	−0.2 (−9.7 to 9.2)	−0.4 (−14.9 to 14.2)
Knee extensor strength (kg)
9 weeks	−0.6 (−4.1 to 2.8)	2.0 (−0.1 to 4.2)	0.7 (−2.7 to 4.2)	0.46	0.99	0.73	0.5
6 months	−1.8 (−5.2 to 1.5)	1.0 (−1.3 to 3.3)	2.1 (−1.3 to 5.5)
Elbow flexor strength (kg)
9 weeks	−1.8 (−4.1 to 0.6)	1.0 (−0.5 to 2.5)	0.04 (−2.3 to 2.4)	0.62	0.03	0.52	0.37
6 months	−0.2 (−2.5 to 2.2)	−0.3 (−1.8 to 1.3)	−0.5 (−2.8 to 1.9)

Data are estimated marginal means for exercise group – control group derived from linear mixed models. p Values are for group effect (between-group difference independent of time), time effect (change over time independent of group), subgroup (differences in subgroups independent of time and group) and subgroup×group×time interaction. p Values <0.05 were considered statistically significant.
*p<0.05 subgroup×time. There were no significant group×time or group×subgroup interactions. Positive increase represents improvement except for MMRC, UCSD SOBQ and SGRQ-I.
6MWD, six-minute walk distance; CRDQ, Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire; CTD, connective tissue disease; ILD, interstitial lung disease; IPF, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis; MMRC, Modified Medical Research Council; SGRQ-I, St George Respiratory Questionnaire IPF-specific version; UCSD SOBQ, University College of San Diego Shortness of Breath Questionnaire.