Effects of home-based remote rehabilitation on children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis and non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis: a systematic review protocol

Background: Home-based remote rehabilitation combining the use of new technological tools is an alternative way of rehabilitation when traditional center-based programs are limited or are not feasible. This systematic review aims to investigate the level of evidence for the effects of home-based remote rehabilitation on children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis (CF) and non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (NCFB). Methods: This systematic review will follow the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA). Five databases will be searched from the period of the inception until March 2024: PubMed, Web of Science, Medline (via EBSCOhost), ACM Digital Library, and Scopus. Methodological quality will be assessed using the revised Cochrane Risk of Bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2) and the risk of bias in non-randomized studies – of interventions (ROBINS-1) tool. The overall quality of the evidence will be assessed using the grading of recommendations assessment, development, and evaluation (GRADE) approach. Conclusions: Evaluation of the level of evidence for the effects of home-based remote rehabilitation in children and adolescents with CF and NCFB is an important step in the context of telehealth, providing an alternative way of approaching pediatric patients, during the process of rehabilitation. Trial registration: PROSPERO registration number is CRD42024498403.