Effectiveness of a telerehabilitation program for COVID-19 survivors (TERECO) on exercise capacity, pulmonary function, lower limb muscle strength, and quality of life: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Li Jian’an , Xia Wenguang , Zhan Chao , Liu Shouguo , Yin Zhifei , Wang Jiayue , Chong Yufei , Zheng Chanjuan , Fang Xiaoming , Cheng Wei , Reinhardt Jan D. 
Published: March 2021

Objectives

To investigate superiority of a telerehabilitation program for Covid-19 (TERECO) over no rehabilitation with regard to functional exercise capacity, lower-limb muscle strength (LMS), pulmonary function, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and perceived dyspnoea.

Design

Parallel-group randomised controlled-trial with 1:1 block-randomisation.

Setting

Three major hospitals from Jiangsu and Hubei provinces, China.

Participants

120 Covid-19 survivors with modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnoea score of 2-3 who had been discharged from hospital were randomised. 61 were allocated to the control group and 59 to the TERECO group.

Intervention

The control group received educational instructions. The TERECO group participated in a 6-week home-based, pulmonary rehabilitation program delivered via smartphone and monitored with chest-worn heart rate telemetry. Exercise types comprised breathing control and thoracic expansion, aerobic exercise, and LMS exercise.

Outcomes

Primary outcome was 6-minute walking distance (6MWD) in metres. Secondary outcomes were LMS measured as squat time in seconds; pulmonary function assessed by spirometry with parameters being forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1/FVC, maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV), and peak expiratory flow; HRQOL measured with SF-12 physical component score (PCS) and mental component score (MCS); and mMRC dyspnoea, favourable outcome (no dyspnoea). Outcomes were assessed at 6 weeks (post-treatment) and 28 weeks (follow-up).

Results

120 patients were randomised, 15 (12.5%) were lost to follow-up at study endpoint. No serious adverse events occurred. 38 participants in the TERECO group complied with the exercise protocol (64.41% of randomized). The adjusted between-group difference in change in 6MWD from baseline was 65.45 metres (95% CI 43.8-87.1, p<0.001) at post-treatment and 68.62 metres (95% CI 46.39-90.85, p<0.001) at follow-up. Treatment effects for LMS were 20.12 seconds (95% CI 12.34-27.9, p<0.001) post-treatment and 22.23 seconds (95% CI 14.24-30.21, p<0.001) at follow-up. No group differences were found for lung function apart from post-treatment MVV (10.57 litres/minute, 95% CI 0.26-17.88, p=0.005). Increase in SF-12 PCS was greater in the TERECO group with treatment effects estimated as 3.79 (95% CI 1.24-6.35, p=0.004) at post-treatment and 2.69 (95% CI 0.06-5.32, p=0.045) at follow-up. No significant between-group differences were found for improvements in SF-12 MCS. At post-treatment 90.4% endorsed a favourable outcome for mMRC dyspnoea in the TERECO group vs. 61.7% in control (adjusted RR 1.46, 1.17-1.82, p=0.001).

Conclusions

This trial demonstrated superiority of TERECO over no rehabilitation for 6MWD, LMS, and SF-12 PCS. We found no persistent effects on pulmonary function, SF-12 MCS, and perceived dyspnoea.

Trial registration

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR2000031834, 11 Apr 2020, URL: http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=52216

KEY POINTS

What is already known

Many Covid-19 survivors discharged from hospital have reduced exercise capacity, impaired pulmonary function, muscle weakness, and reduced quality of life, all of which might be addressed with pulmonary rehabilitation.

However, evidence on effective pulmonary rehabilitation measures for this population is currently lacking. As delivery of conventional rehabilitation services is furthermore limited due to pandemic control measures, telerehabilitation programs represent a possible alternative.

What the study adds

We developed a telerehabilitation program for Covid-19 survivors (TERECO program) that is delivered via smartphone and can be carried out at home.

Our study suggests that TERECO was safe and participants of the TERECO program had improved exercise capacity, lower-limb muscle strength, and physical quality of life. No relevant group differences were found for lung function, self-reported breathlessness, and mental quality of life.

The TERECO program is inexpensive and could be implemented on a large scale to improve physical health of Covid-19 survivors after discharge from hospital.