A tele-health primary care rehabilitation program improves self-perceived exertion in COVID-19 survivors experiencing Post-COVID fatigue and dyspnea: A quasi-experimental study.

Autor: Calvo-Paniagua J; Gerencia Asistencial Atención Primaria de Madrid, Centro de Salud Dr. Castroviejo, Madrid, Spain., Díaz-Arribas MJ; Department of Radiology, Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria San Carlos (IdISSC), Madrid, Spain., Valera-Calero JA; VALTRADOFI Research Group, Department of Physical Therapy, Universidad Camilo José Cela, Villanueva de la Cañada, Madrid, Spain., Gallardo-Vidal MI; Gerencia Asistencial Atención Primaria de Madrid, Centro de Salud Valdelasfuentes, Madrid, Spain., Fernández-de-Las-Peñas C; Department of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Spain., López-de-Uralde-Villanueva I; Department of Radiology, Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria San Carlos (IdISSC), Madrid, Spain., Del Corral T; Department of Radiology, Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria San Carlos (IdISSC), Madrid, Spain., Plaza-Manzano G; Department of Radiology, Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria San Carlos (IdISSC), Madrid, Spain.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: PloS one [PLoS One] 2022 Aug 04; Vol. 17 (8), pp. e0271802. Date of Electronic Publication: 2022 Aug 04 (Print Publication: 2022).
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0271802
Abstrakt: Background: Current evidence suggests that up to 70% of COVID-19 survivors develop post-COVID symptoms during the following months after infection. Fatigue and dyspnea seem to be the most prevalent post-COVID symptoms.
Objective: To analyze whether a tele-rehabilitation exercise program is able to improve self-perceived physical exertion in patients with post-COVID fatigue and dyspnea.
Methods: Sixty-eight COVID-19 survivors exhibiting post-COVID fatigue and dyspnea derived to four Primary Health Care centers located in Madrid were enrolled in this quasi-experimental study. A tele-rehabilitation program based on patient education, physical activity, airway clearing, and breathing exercise interventions was structured on eighteen sessions (3 sessions/week). Self-perceived physical exertion during daily living activities, dyspnea severity, health-related quality of life and distance walked and changes in oxygen saturation and heart rate during the 6-Minute walking test were assessed at baseline, after the program and at 1- and 3-months follow-up periods.
Results: Daily living activities, dyspnea severity and quality of life improved significantly at all follow-ups (p<0.001). Additionally, a significant increase in oxygen saturation before and after the 6-Minute Walking test was found when compared with baseline (P<0.001). Heart rate adaptations at rest were found during the follow-up periods (P = 0.012). Lower perceived exertion before and after the 6-Minute Walking test were also observed, even if larger distance were walked (P<0.001).
Conclusion: Tele-rehabilitation programs could be an effective strategy to reduce post-COVID fatigue and dyspnea in COVID-19 survivors. In addition, it could also reduce the economic burden of acute COVID-19, reaching a greater number of patients and releasing Intensive Unit Care beds for prioritized patients with a severe disease.
Study Registration: The international OSF Registry registration link is https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/T8SYB.
Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
Databáze: MEDLINE
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