PULMONARY REHABILITATION IN INDIVIDUALS POS-ACUTE COVID-19 INFECTION: PRELIMINARY RESULTS

Abstract

<b>Introduction:</b> Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) has a central role in treating subjects with chronic respiratory disease. However, the effects of PR in the recovery of subjects infected with COVID-19 remains poorly understood. <b>Objective:</b> To evaluate the impact of a 12 weeks PR program (PRP) on the functional status, muscle force, postural balance, and symptoms of anxiety and depression in subjects with COVID. <b>Methods:</b> Subjects hospitalized due to severe COVID-19 were assessed. Participants were assessed by functional status (6-MWT) and post-COVID-19 functional status scale (PCFS), muscle force (one-maximum repetition test), postural balance (Brief-BEST test), and symptoms of anxiety and depression (HADS). Paired t-test was used to compare the data before and after PRP. P&lt;0.05. <b>Results:</b> All subjects completed the PRP (51±11 years, 30±22 days of hospitalization). After PRP, seventy-four patients reached the minimal clinically important difference in the 6-MWT (&gt;30 meters); and all individuals have improved the quadriceps and biceps muscle force. Subjects, also, showed an improvement in the functional capacity (402±90 and 464±68 meters; P=0.001), quadriceps (32±25 and 68±40 kg), hamstring (6±4 and 15±7 kg), biceps (4±1 and 7±2 kg) and deltoid muscle force (2±1 and 5±2 kg); P&lt;0.0001 and postural balance (15± 5 and 18±4 points; P=0.007). An improvement in functionality (2±1 and 1±1; P&lt;0.0001) and a reduction in symptoms of anxiety (9±5 and 6±4; P=0.006) and depression (7±4 and 5±3; P=0.003) was also observed. <b>Conclusions:</b> A 12-week pulmonary rehabilitation program improved functional status, muscle force, postural balance and symptoms of anxiety and depression in individuals with post-acute COVID-19.