RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation in COVID-19 – a prospective observational cohort study JF ERJ Open Research JO erjor FD European Respiratory Society SP 00108-2021 DO 10.1183/23120541.00108-2021 A1 Gloeckl, Rainer A1 Leitl, Daniela A1 Jarosch, Inga A1 Schneeberger, Tessa A1 Nell, Christoph A1 Stenzel, Nikola A1 Vogelmeier, Claus F. A1 Kenn, Klaus A1 Koczulla, Andreas R. YR 2021 UL http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/early/2021/03/04/23120541.00108-2021.abstract AB Background The new Corona-Virus disease (COVID-19) can result in a large variety of chronic health issues like impaired lung function, reduced exercise performance, and diminished quality of life. Our study aimed to investigate the efficacy, feasibility, and safety of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in COVID-19 patients and to compare outcomes between patients with a mild/moderate and a severe/critical course of the disease.Methods Patients in the post-acute phase of a mild to critical course of COVID-19 admitted to a comprehensive three-week inpatient PR were included in this prospective, observational cohort study. Several measures of exercise performance (6-minute walk distance, 6MWD), lung function (forced vital capacity, FVC), and quality of life (36 question short-form health survey, SF-36) were assessed before and after PR.Results Fifty patients were included in the study (24 with mild/moderate and 26 with severe/critical COVID-19). On admission, patients had a reduced 6MWD (mild: 509 m [426–539]; severe: 344 m [244–392]), an impaired FVC (mild: 80% [59–91]; severe: 75% [60–91]) and a low SF-36 mental health score (mild: 49 pts [37–54]; severe: 39 pts [30–53]). Patients attended a median of 100% [94–100] of all provided PR sessions. At discharge, patients in both subgroups improved in 6MWD (mild/moderate: +48 m [35–113 m]; severe/critical: +124 m [75–145 m], both p<0.001), FVC (mild/moderate: +7.7% [1.0–17.8], p=0.002; severe/critical: +11.3% [1.0–16.9], p<0.001) and SF-36 mental component (mild/moderate +5.6 pts [1.4–9.2], p=0.071; severe/critical: +14.4 pts [−0.6–24.5], p<0.001). No adverse event was observed.Conclusion Our study shows that PR is a feasible, safe, and effective therapeutic option in COVID-19 patients independent of disease severity.FootnotesThis manuscript has recently been accepted for publication in the ERJ Open Research. It is published here in its accepted form prior to copyediting and typesetting by our production team. After these production processes are complete and the authors have approved the resulting proofs, the article will move to the latest issue of the ERJOR online. Please open or download the PDF to view this article.Conflict of interest: Dr. Gloeckl has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Dr. Leitl has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Dr. Jarosch has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Dr. Schneeberger has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Dr. Nell has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Dr. Stenzel has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Dr. Vogelmeier has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Dr. Kenn has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Dr. Koczulla has nothing to disclose.