Effect of a home-based inspiratory muscular training programme on functional capacity in patients with chronic COVID-19 after a hospital, 2022, Palau

Full title: Effect of a home-based inspiratory muscular training programme on functional capacity in patients with chronic COVID-19 after a hospital discharge: protocol for a randomised control trial (InsCOVID trial)

Abstract

Introduction Exercise intolerance and fatigue are the most common symptoms in patients with chronic COVID-19 after hospital discharge. Supervised exercise training programmes improve symptoms, but scarce research has been done on home-based exercise programmes on the maximal functional capacity for discharged symptomatic COVID-19 patients. This study evaluates whether a home-based inspiratory muscle training (IMT) programme improves maximal functional capacity in chronic COVID-19 after hospital admission.

Methods and analysis This single-centre, assessor-blinded randomised controlled trial, powered for superiority, seeks to evaluate maximal functional capacity as the primary endpoint. A total of 26 eligible patients with a previous admission for acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pneumonia (>3 months after hospital discharge) will be randomised (1:1) to receive a 12-week programme of IMT versus usual care alone. A blinded assessor will measure outcomes at baseline and after the intervention (12 weeks). An analysis of variance will be used to compare continuous outcomes among the two-intervention groups. As of 21 March 2022, eight patients have been enrolled.

Open access, https://bmjopenrespres.bmj.com/content/9/1/e001255