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.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9352012PMC
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0271802PLOS

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

covid-19 survivors
12
post-covid fatigue
12
fatigue dyspnea
12
quasi-experimental study
8
self-perceived physical
8
physical exertion
8
daily living
8
living activities
8
activities dyspnea
8
dyspnea severity
8

Similar Publications

Immune Cell-Based versus Albumin-Based Ratios as Outcome Predictors in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients.

J Inflamm Res

January 2025

Clinic of Anesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, Military Medical Academy, Faculty of Medicine of the Military Medical Academy, University of Defense, Belgrade, Serbia.

Purpose: The aim of the retrospective, single-center study was to assess the prognostic value of immune cell-based and albumin-based ratios regarding lethal outcome in critically ill COVID-19 patients.

Patients And Methods: We analyzed 612 adult critically ill COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) between April 2020 and November 2022. Blood measurement on admission to the ICU encompassed complete blood count (CBC), IL-6, C-reactive protein (CRP), albumin, lactate, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), serum bicarbonate, arterial base deficit/excess (BD/E), and D-dimer.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Care providers, including both professional and family caregivers, were negatively impacted by the pandemic. In partnership with the Minnesota (MN) Pediatric Care Coordination Community of Practice, the MN Department of Health Regional Behavioral Health Coordinator team provided a 7-week training of trainers in Skills for Psychological Recovery (SPR) to care providers of adults and children with special healthcare, mental health needs, and disabilities. The goal of SPR training was to protect the mental health of disaster survivors, enhance their abilities to address needs and concerns, teach skills to promote recovery, and prevent maladaptive behaviors while identifying and supporting adaptive behaviors.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: To describe the 12-month mortality of Dutch COVID-19 intensive care unit patients, the total COVID-19 population and various subgroups on the basis of the number of comorbidities, age, sex, mechanical ventilation, and vasoactive medication use.

Methods: We included all patients admitted with COVID-19 between March 1, 2020, and March 29, 2022, from the Dutch National Intensive Care (NICE) database. The crude 12-month mortality rate is presented via Kaplan-Meier survival curves for each patient subgroup.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

: Severe and critical COVID-19 pneumonia can lead to long-term complications, especially affecting pulmonary function and immune health. However, the extent and progression of these complications over time are not well understood. This study aimed to assess lung function, radiological changes, and some immune parameters in survivors of severe and critical COVID-19 up to 12 months after hospital discharge.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!