Ann Rehabil Med.  2023 Dec;47(6):502-510. 10.5535/arm.23060.

A Pulmonary Telerehabilitation Program Improves Exercise Capacity and Quality of Life in Young Females Post-COVID-19 Patients

• Alsharidah AS
• Kamel FH
• Alanazi AA
• Alhawsah EA
• Alharbi HK
• Alrshedi ZO
• Basha MA

• KMID: 2549731
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5535/arm.23060

Abstract

Objective
To examine the impact of telerehabilitation training on exercise capacity, lung function, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in comparison to no rehabilitation for post-COVID-19 symptoms in adult females.
Methods
A randomized controlled trial of 48 females after mild to moderate COVID-19 survival were equally and randomly assigned to one of two groups: intervention group or control group. Three sessions per week for 6 weeks of a telerehabilitation program provided via a smartphone to the intervention group. Spirometry was used to quantify lung function, a 6-minute walk test (6MWT) measured in meters to measure exercise capacity, and the Short Form Health Survey-36 was used to assess HRQOL.
Results
After treatment, there was no statistically significant difference in forced vital capacity (FVC) or forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁) between groups (p>0.05), but the 6MWT of the intervention group increased significantly more than that of the control group (p=0.001). The percent of change in 6MWT for the intervention group and control group was 14.22% and 4.21%, respectively. After therapy, the intervention group’s HRQOL significantly improved when compared to the control group’s (p=0.001).
Conclusion
This study showed that a telerehabilitation programs improved exercise capacity and HRQOL in young females post-COVID-19 compared to no rehabilitation.

Keyword

COVID-19; Telerehabilitation; Pulmonary rehabilitation; Exercise capacity; Quality of life

Figure

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  Fig. 1. CONSORT-2010-flow-diagram.

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  Fig. 2. Mean Short Form Health Survey-36 (SF-36) pre- and posttreatment of group A (intervention group) and B (control group).

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