Abstract
Objective
Data sources
Data Selection
Data Extraction
Data Synthesis
Conclusion
Keywords
List of Abbreviations
Acute COVID-19Introduction
Methods
Protocol and Registration
Search strategy
Selection criteria
Types of Participants
Types of Interventions
Types of Comparators
Types of Outcomes
Risk of bias assessment
Data extraction
Statistical Analysis
Results
Study Selection

Study Characteristics
Author, Country, Year, Stage, and Severity | Sample size andComorbiditiesN(IG/CG) | Ventilatory support used during illness.N(IG/CG) | Length of inpatient stayMean+SDDays | Interventions | Duration / Session | Outcomes measures | Results |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Li et al., China, 2021 Chronic Moderate/severe | 118 (59/61) - Heart Disease - Hypertension - Diabetes - Obesity - Lung disease | 103 (49/54) | 26.18 (15.25) | Pulmonary Rehabilitation | -Breathing control and thoracic expansion, aerobic exercise, and LMS exercises are specified in a 3-tiered exercise plan with difficulty and intensity scheduled to increase over time. -Exercise program was 40-60 minutes per session, with 3-4 sessions per week, for a total of 6 weeks. | - 6MWT - PFTs - HRQOL - Borg RPE - Squat Test | After 6 weeks of PR program, exercise capacity, dyspnea, lung functions, and quality of life were significantly improved in intervention group as compared to control group (p<0.001). |
Liu et al., China, 2020 Acute Mild | 72 (36/36) - Hypertension - Diabetes - Osteoporosis | Not reported | Not reported | Pulmonary Rehabilitation | -Respiratory muscle training (device-based: threshold PEP); Cough exercise; diaphragmatic training; stretching exercise; home exercise -10 minutes/session, 2 sessions per week for 6 weeks. | - PFTs - 6MWT - SF-36 scores - FIM - SAS anxiety - SDS depression. | After 6 weeks of pulmonary rehabilitation program, exercise capacity, lung functions, and quality of life were significantly improved in intervention group as compared to control group (p<0.001). The SAS and SDS scores in the intervention group decreased after the intervention, but only anxiety had significant statistical significance within and between the two groups. |
Blanco et al., Spain, 2021 Acute Mild | 36 (18/18) | Not reported | Not reported | Telerehabilitation | Strengthening exercise program; 60 minutes/session, one session/day, for 1 week. | - 6MWT - STST - Dyspnea | After 1 week of telerehabilitation program, exercise capacity, muscle performance, and dyspnea were significantly improved in intervention group as compared to control group (p<0.001). |
Gerez et al., Spain, 2021 Acute Mild | 38 (19/19) | Not reported | Not reported | Telerehabilitation | Breathing and airway cleaning exercise program were 60 minutes per session, with 2 sessions per day, for 1 week. | - 6MWT - 30 STST -Dyspnea | After 1 week of telerehabilitation program, exercise capacity, muscle performance, and dyspnea were significantly improved in intervention group as compared to control group (p<0.001). |
Pehlivan et al., Turkey, 2021 Acute Mild | 34 (17/17) | 3 (1/2) | Not reported | Telerehabilitation | - Breathing exercises, active breathing techniques, lower and upper limb exercises, walking and wall squat exercises, delivered as a synchronized exercise program via videoconferencing; three sessions/week, 6 weeks. | - 30 STST -Dyspnea -Fatigue - Quality of life (SGRQ) | A significant improvement was observed in intervention group in terms of dyspnea (P= 0.035), 30STS (P= 0.005),) and SGRQ scores. |
Abodonya et al., Saudi Arabia, 2021 Chronic Moderate/severe | 42 (21/21) | 42 (21/21) | 19.7±8.6 | Inspiratory muscle Training+ Breathing exercise | Breathing exercise (device-based: threshold PEP) 2 times daily for 2 weeks while intervention group received additional 2 sessions of IMT daily for 5 days a week for 2 weeks. | - PFTs - DSI - HRQoL - 6MWT | Two weeks of pulmonary rehabilitation program has significantly improved exercise capacity, lung functions, and dyspnea in intervention group (FVC%, P=.047, FEV1%, P=.039, DSI, P=.001, QOL, P<.001, and 6-MWT, P<.001), whereas the control group displayed nonsignificant changes (P>.05). |
Amaral et al., Brazil, 2022 Chronic Mild | 32 (12/10) - Hypertension - Diabetes -Obesity -Respiratory disease -cardiovascular disease | Not reported | Not reported | Telerehabilitation | Resistance and aerobic exercise three sessions/week and aerobic exercise five sessions/week, for 12 weeks | -6MWT -FTSTS -Grip strength -PFTs | Both groups similarly increased (P < 0.001) forced vital capacity (absolute and % of predicted), forced expiratory volume in the first second (absolute and % of predicted), and handgrip strength during follow-up. However, only exercise group increased MIP (24.7 ± 7.1 cmH2O, P < 0.001), MEP (20.3 ± 5.8 cmH2O, P = 0.021), and MEP % pred (14.3 ± 22.6 %, P = 0.042) during follow-up. |
Blanco et al., Spain, 2022 Acute Mild | 77 (55/22) | Not reported | Not reported | Telerehabilitation | Exp 1 = strengthening exercise program; one session/d, 7 d/week, 2 weeks Exp 2 = breathing and airway cleaning exercise program; one session/d, 7 d/week, 2 weeks | -6MWT -VASF -Dyspnea (MD-12) - 30STST -Borg scale | All the outcome measures were significantly improved in exercise group as compared to control group (p < 0.05). The greatest effect sizes were found in the Borg Scale (R2 = 0.548) and MD-12 questionnaire (R2 = 0.475). |
Details of Intervention
Risk of bias
Effects of pulmonary rehabilitation
Exercise Capacity

Dyspnea

Lung Functions

Fatigue

Quality of Life

Safety of PR program
Discussion
Study limitations, strengths, and future implications
Conclusion
References
Appendix. Supplementary materials
Article Info
Publication History
Publication stage
In Press Journal Pre-ProofFootnotes
DECLARATIONS
Acknowledgments: The authors would like to thank the authors who responded to our email inquiry and provided the data for analysis.
Contributors: IA contributed to study conceptualization, data analysis and interpretation, and write-up of the manuscript; RM contributed to study conceptualization, data entry and write-up of the manuscript; ZY contributed to write-up and revision of the manuscript; IY contributed to study conceptualization and write-up and revision of the manuscript; BE contributed to write-up and revision of the manuscript. All authors read the final draft of the manuscript and gave approval for its submission or publication.
Funding: The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Disclaimer: RM is Editorial board member for Turkish Journal of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation while IY is advisory board member for Journal of Exercise therapy and Rehabilitation.
Competing interests: None declared
Patient and public involvement: Patients and/or the public were not involved in the design, or conduct, or reporting, or dissemination plans of this research.
Patient consent for publication: Not required.
Ethics approval: Not required.
Data availability statement: All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as supplementary information. Further information is available upon reasonable request.