A Telerehabilitation Program for Maintaining Functional Capacity in Patients With Chronic Lung Diseases During a Period of COVID-19 Social Isolation: Quasi-Experimental Retrospective Study.
Aline Paula Miozzo, Natiele Camponogara Righi, Maria Luiza Yumi Shizukuishi and 5 others
PMID 36473024WHAT IT FOUND
Telerehabilitation helped maintain walking distance and improved social functioning and mental health in chronic lung disease patients during pandemic isolation.
However, the groups were unequal at baseline, with the control group being older and heavier, which limits confidence in these results.
Key findings
01The telerehabilitation group maintained their 6-minute walk distance significantly better than the control group after isolation.
02Telerehabilitation showed a beneficial effect on social functioning and mental health compared to usual care.
03Both groups had an increased need for continuous oxygen during exercise after the isolation period.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The study was not randomized, and the control group was significantly older and had higher BMIs than the telerehabilitation group at baseline. The sample size was small (32 patients total), which reduces statistical power. The retrospective design and convenience sampling limit the generalizability of the findings. It was not possible to conduct a randomized trial due to the urgency of the pandemic situation.
Declared interests
None declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume the telerehabilitation program caused all the observed benefits. The control group was older and had higher BMIs at the start, meaning the groups were not comparable at baseline, which could have influenced the differences in walking distance and quality of life outcomes.