Multimodal web-based telerehabilitation for patients with post–COVID-19 condition : protocol for a randomized controlled trial

dc.contributor.authorTomaskovic, Aleksandar
dc.contributor.authorWeber, Vincent
dc.contributor.authorOchmann, David T.
dc.contributor.authorNeuberger, Elmo Wanja
dc.contributor.authorLachtermann, Ella
dc.contributor.authorBrahmer, Alexandra
dc.contributor.authorHaller, Nils
dc.contributor.authorHillen, Barlo
dc.contributor.authorEnders, Kira
dc.contributor.authorEggert, Viktoria
dc.contributor.authorZeier, Peter
dc.contributor.authorLieb, Klaus
dc.contributor.authorSimon, Perikles
dc.contributor.otherWeber, Vincent
dc.contributor.otherOchmann, David
dc.contributor.otherNeuberger, Elmo Wanja
dc.contributor.otherLachtermann, Ella
dc.contributor.otherBrahmer, Alexandra
dc.contributor.otherHaller, Nils
dc.contributor.otherHillen, Barlo
dc.contributor.otherEnders, Kira
dc.contributor.otherEggert, Viktoria
dc.contributor.otherZeier, Peter
dc.contributor.otherLieb, Klaus
dc.contributor.otherSimon, Perikles
dc.date.accessioned2025-07-03T07:57:58Z
dc.date.available2025-07-03T07:57:58Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.description.abstractBackground: Patients with post–COVID-19 condition (PCC) experience persistent, long-term health consequences following SARS-CoV-2 infection, including fatigue, hyperventilation, cognitive impairment, and limitations in daily activities. There is emerging evidence suggesting that exercise and respiratory therapy–based telerehabilitation is safe and could potentially improve physical capacity while reducing health care costs. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the superiority of a multimodal, symptom-titrated telerehabilitation program over standard care in patients with PCC who are severely affected, using the highest oxygen uptake rate (VO2peak [mL/min/kg]) achieved during the cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) and minute ventilation/carbon dioxide production slope (VE/VCO2 [full slope]) as primary outcomes. In addition, this study seeks to provide novel insights into the clinical and physiological adaptations associated with PCC, informing future rehabilitation strategies. Methods: This prospective, randomized, waitlist-controlled trial was approved by the Rhineland-Palatinate Medical Association ethics committee. All procedures comply with the Declaration of Helsinki. This study comprises 3 examination time points, which include patient-reported outcomes, clinical assessments, and a CPET. It is structured into an 8-week intervention phase followed by an 8-week follow-up phase. Following baseline assessment, patients will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group (IG) or the control group (CG). During the intervention phase, IG participants will receive a web-based, multimodal, symptom-titrated telerehabilitation program consisting of sports medicine consultations, weekly teleconsultations, a structured pacing approach, and exercise and respiratory therapy. In contrast, CG participants will receive treatment as usual, which includes a single sports medicine consultation on healthy habits and a self-directed pacing approach for managing symptoms and daily activities. During the follow-up phase, IG participants will continue training independently without teleconsultations, whereas CG participants will undergo the same telerehabilitation intervention as the IG. A follow-up assessment will be conducted for both groups to evaluate long-term effects. This study adheres to the SPIRIT (Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials) guidelines and follows the Consensus on Exercise Reporting Template. Results: Recruitment began in August 2023 and was extended until March 2025. As of March 2025, 80 participants have been recruited, and data analysis is ongoing. Final results are expected by December 2025, with a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data anticipated by July 2025. Conclusions: This study is the first randomized controlled trial investigating the effectiveness of multimodal and symptom-titrated telerehabilitation in patients with PCC who are severely affected. The integration of various objective diagnostic systems will provide valuable insights into emerging postviral fatigue syndromes, supporting the development of CPET-based diagnostics, personalized rehabilitation strategies, and future research on long-term telerehabilitation effectiveness. The findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, professional networks, and patient advocacy groups to ensure scientific, clinical, and public impact.en
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.25358/openscience-12634
dc.identifier.urihttps://openscience.ub.uni-mainz.de/handle/20.500.12030/12655
dc.language.isoeng
dc.rightsCC-BY-4.0
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subject.ddc610 Medizinde
dc.subject.ddc610 Medical sciencesen
dc.subject.ddc796 Sportde
dc.subject.ddc796 Athletic and outdoor sports and gamesen
dc.titleMultimodal web-based telerehabilitation for patients with post–COVID-19 condition : protocol for a randomized controlled trialen
dc.typeZeitschriftenaufsatz
jgu.description.extent23
jgu.journal.titleJMIR Research Protocols
jgu.journal.volume14
jgu.organisation.departmentFB 02 Sozialwiss., Medien u. Sport
jgu.organisation.nameJohannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
jgu.organisation.number7910
jgu.organisation.placeMainz
jgu.organisation.rorhttps://ror.org/023b0x485
jgu.pages.alternativee65044
jgu.publisher.doi10.2196/65044
jgu.publisher.eissn1929-0748
jgu.publisher.nameJMIR Publications
jgu.publisher.placeToronto
jgu.rights.accessrightsopenAccess
jgu.subject.ddccode610
jgu.subject.ddccode796
jgu.type.dinitypeArticleen_GB
jgu.type.resourceText
jgu.type.versionPublished version

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