300 Section - Effect of a Six-Week Respiratory Rehabilitation Program in Patients with Long-COVID Syndrome

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a six-week respiratory rehabilitation program in the Day Hospital for Respiratory Rehabilitation (DHRR) in patients with Long-COVID syndrome presenting with symptoms such as dyspnea, fatigue, and tachycardia. The study included 61 patients with a confirmed previous COVID-19 infection, many of whom had comorbidities, with the most common being chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, hypertension, and diabetes. The rehabilitation program consisted of breathing exercises combined with cardiorespiratory aerobic training.

Design:

All patients admitted to the DHRR underwent functional testing at admission and discharge, including: the Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), the One-Minute Sit-to-Stand Test (StS), the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for leg pain, the Modified Borg Dyspnea Scale, the PHQ-9 depression questionnaire, the GAD-7 anxiety questionnaire, oxygen saturation (SpO₂), heart rate (HR), and respiratory rate (RR).

Results:

Statistical analysis showed improvement across all measured parameters. A significant improvement was observed in the 6MWT (p < 0.001) and StS test (p < 0.001). Significant improvements were also recorded on the PHQ-9 (p < 0.001) and GAD-7 scales (p < 0.001). Other parameters demonstrated clinically relevant statistical improvement as well: SpO₂ (p = 0.004), HR (p < 0.001), RR (p < 0.006), VAS (p < 0.003), and the Modified Borg Scale (p < 0.013).

Conclusion:

The six-week respiratory rehabilitation program implemented in the DHRR significantly improves functional capacity and psychological status in patients with Long-COVID symptoms.