E. Daynes, Molly M Baldwin, M. Annals, N. Gardiner, E. Chaplin, S. Ward, N. J. Greening, Rachael A Evans, Sally J Singh
{"title":"Changes in fatigue symptoms following an exercise-based rehabilitation programme for patients with Long-COVID","authors":"E. Daynes, Molly M Baldwin, M. Annals, N. Gardiner, E. Chaplin, S. Ward, N. J. Greening, Rachael A Evans, Sally J Singh","doi":"10.1183/23120541.00089-2024","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"There is evidence to support COVID-19 rehabilitation programmes improving persistent COVID-19 symptoms; however, there is concern that therapies that include an exercise component may increase fatigue and post-exertional symptom exacerbation (PESE).To determine the effect of a 6 week COVID-19 rehabilitation programme on fatigue and PESE in individuals with on-going COVID-19 symptoms.After a routine medical assessment, individuals with persistent COVID-19 symptoms were enrolled on a 6-week COVID-19 specific rehabilitation programme. The programme included symptom-titrated exercise, education, and self-management advice. Fatigue was assessed pre- and post-programme using the Functional Assessment Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue questionnaire (FACIT). Exercise capacity (Incremental and Endurance Shuttle Walking Test; ISWT/ESWT) and PESE (DePaul Symptom Questionnaire; DSQ) were also assessed pre- and post-programme. Composite scores were calculated for the frequency and severity domains of the DSQ.148 patients (median [IQR] age 59[49–72] years, 82 (60%) female, 81(54%) hospitalised) completed the COVID-19 rehabilitation programme. FACIT score reduced pre- to post-programme by a mean[CI] change of −5[−7, −4];p<0.01. Exercise capacity increased by 82[65, 99] m for the ISWT and 398[333, 462]seconds for the ESWT (n=148). PESE was assessed in 44 patients. The DSQ frequency and severity composite score improved by 20[13, 28] and 19[13, 26] points, respectively (p<0.01, n=44).This data demonstrates the potential benefits of a COVID-19 rehabilitation programme on improving fatigue, exercise capacity, and symptom exacerbation, in those with persistent COVID-19 symptoms.","PeriodicalId":11739,"journal":{"name":"ERJ Open Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.3000,"publicationDate":"2024-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"ERJ Open Research","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1183/23120541.00089-2024","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"RESPIRATORY SYSTEM","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
There is evidence to support COVID-19 rehabilitation programmes improving persistent COVID-19 symptoms; however, there is concern that therapies that include an exercise component may increase fatigue and post-exertional symptom exacerbation (PESE).To determine the effect of a 6 week COVID-19 rehabilitation programme on fatigue and PESE in individuals with on-going COVID-19 symptoms.After a routine medical assessment, individuals with persistent COVID-19 symptoms were enrolled on a 6-week COVID-19 specific rehabilitation programme. The programme included symptom-titrated exercise, education, and self-management advice. Fatigue was assessed pre- and post-programme using the Functional Assessment Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue questionnaire (FACIT). Exercise capacity (Incremental and Endurance Shuttle Walking Test; ISWT/ESWT) and PESE (DePaul Symptom Questionnaire; DSQ) were also assessed pre- and post-programme. Composite scores were calculated for the frequency and severity domains of the DSQ.148 patients (median [IQR] age 59[49–72] years, 82 (60%) female, 81(54%) hospitalised) completed the COVID-19 rehabilitation programme. FACIT score reduced pre- to post-programme by a mean[CI] change of −5[−7, −4];p<0.01. Exercise capacity increased by 82[65, 99] m for the ISWT and 398[333, 462]seconds for the ESWT (n=148). PESE was assessed in 44 patients. The DSQ frequency and severity composite score improved by 20[13, 28] and 19[13, 26] points, respectively (p<0.01, n=44).This data demonstrates the potential benefits of a COVID-19 rehabilitation programme on improving fatigue, exercise capacity, and symptom exacerbation, in those with persistent COVID-19 symptoms.
期刊介绍:
ERJ Open Research is a fully open access original research journal, published online by the European Respiratory Society. The journal aims to publish high-quality work in all fields of respiratory science and medicine, covering basic science, clinical translational science and clinical medicine. The journal was created to help fulfil the ERS objective to disseminate scientific and educational material to its members and to the medical community, but also to provide researchers with an affordable open access specialty journal in which to publish their work.