Evidence of benefit from home tele-rehabilitation on chronic dyspnea and quality of life in patients with COPD

Aim: To investigate whether a home tele-rehabilitation program would be as beneficial as an outpatient maintenance rehabilitation program in patients with COPD. Methods: 95 COPD patients were included in the study. Patients were randomized to participate either in an outpatient rehabilitation program (control: n=48) or to complete an initial 2-month supervised pulmonary rehabilitation program and continue their training at home using telemedicine (tele-rehabilitation: n=47). In the tele-rehabilitation program compliance was ensured with weekly measurements of lung function, exercise indices, and symptoms report. Patients were followed up for 6 months. Results: The initial two-month supervised rehabilitative exercise-training program significantly improved chronic dyspnea (mMRC) and the total score of both CAT and quality of life (SGRQ) questionnaires in all 95 patients. Six months later home tele-rehabilitation was equally effective to hospital-based rehabilitation in terms of maintaining the initial significant improvement in mMRC (2-months: 1.7±1.0 versus 8-months: 1.6±0.9), CAT score (2-months: 13.13±8.01 versus 8-months: 13.02±7.55) and SGRQ score (2-months: 42.22±19.17 versus 8-months: 41.35±21.28). Conclusion: Ongoing home tele-rehabilitation with the use of telemedicine is effective in maintaining the positive effects of outpatient rehabilitation regarding the patients9 symptoms and quality of life and could potentially diminish costs and affect patients comfort. This work was funded by the Greek General Secretariat for Research and Technology (Telecare: 11SYN_10_1438).