12-months follow-up of pulmonary tele-rehabilitation versus standard pulmonary rehabilitation: A multicentre randomised clinical trial in patients with severe COPD. (October 2020) - Godtfredsen, Nina
Abstract: Between March 2016 and October 2017, we randomised 134 patients with severe COPD from 8 hospitals in the Capital Region of Denmark to participate in either standardised, outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation (control group) or on-line, supervised and home-based tele-rehabilitation (intervention group). We found no difference between the groups in the primary outcome: six minutes walking distance (6MWD) after completion of the programme. The current study presents results from the 12-month follow-up with assessment of the 6MWD and analyses of hospitalisation and mortality. There were no significant differences between or within the groups in the 6MWD one year after completion of the programme. Highlights: This is the first paper to report long-term follow-up comparing standard pulmonary rehabilitation with telerehabilitation. There were no differences between intervention and usual care in the 6 m walking distance (primary outcome). The study highlights telerehabilitation as an alternative for patients unable to participate in a standard programme.