Quality of life, exercise capacity, cognition, and mental health of Chilean patients after COVID-19: an experience of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program at a physical and rehabilitation medicine unit.
Valeria Paéz, Maria Rodriguez-Fernandez, Diego Morales and 8 others
PMID 38107198WHAT IT FOUND
Post-COVID patients completing an 8-week multidisciplinary program showed significant gains in walking distance, strength, and mental health.
However, nearly one-third dropped out. Baseline balance and fatigue scores helped predict who would leave early, allowing for targeted support.
Key findings
01Participants who completed the 8-week program showed significant improvements in 6-minute walk distance (from 483.29 m to 527.79 m) and lower extremity strength (1-minute sit-to-stand repetitions increased from 25 to 36).
02Twelve of the 44 enrolled patients dropped out before completing the 8 weeks due to reasons including repeated absences and lack of motivation.
03A classification model using baseline variables such as Tinetti balance scores, vitality, and comorbidities achieved an average accuracy of 68.07% in predicting which patients would drop out.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
No control group was used, so improvements cannot be definitively attributed to the intervention rather than natural recovery. The sample size was small (44 enrolled, 32 completed), limiting the generalizability of the findings. A high dropout rate (27%) may have introduced bias, as those who completed the program might have been healthier or more motivated than those who left. The study was non-randomized and conducted at a single center in Chile, which may limit applicability to other healthcare systems.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The research was supported by ANID-ACT210083 and Fondecyt 1230844.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume these improvements apply to all post-COVID patients. The study lacked a control group, so natural recovery over 8 weeks cannot be ruled out as the cause of the gains. Additionally, the results reflect only those who completed the program; the 27% who dropped out may have experienced different outcomes.