Post-hospitalisation COVID-19 rehabilitation (PHOSP-R): a randomised controlled trial of exercise-based rehabilitation

Objective

Post-COVID syndrome involves prolonged symptoms with multisystem and functional impairment lasting ≥12 weeks after acute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We aimed to determine the efficacy of exercise-based rehabilitation interventions, either face-to-face or remote, compared to usual care in individuals experiencing post-COVID syndrome following a hospitalisation with acute COVID-19.

Design

This single-blind randomised controlled trial compared two exercise-based rehabilitation interventions (face-to-face or remote) to usual care in participants with post-COVID syndrome following a hospitalisation. The interventions were either a face-to-face or remote 8-week programme of individually prescribed exercise and education. The primary outcome was the change in Incremental Shuttle Walking Test (ISWT) following 8 weeks of intervention (either face-to-face or remote) compared to usual care. Other secondary outcomes were measured including health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and exploratory outcomes included lymphocyte immunotyping.

Results

181 participants (55% male, mean±sdage 59±12 years, length of hospital stay 12±19 days) were randomised. There was an improvement in the ISWT distance following face-to-face rehabilitation (mean 52 m, 95% CI 19–85 m; p=0.002) and remote rehabilitation (mean 34 m, 95% CI 1–66 m; p=0.047) compared to usual care alone. There were no differences between groups for HRQoL self-reported symptoms. Analysis of immune markers revealed significant increases in naïve and memory CD8+T-cells following face-to-face rehabilitationversususual care alone (p<0.001, n=31).

Conclusion

Exercise-based rehabilitation improved short-term exercise capacity in post-COVID syndrome following an acute hospitalisation and showed potential for beneficial immunomodulatory effects.