| Abstract |
Purpose: Data on clinical and prognosis of patients post coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) and interest in rehabilitation are still insufficient. Contagious isolation causes respiratory, physical, and psychological dysfunction. Therefore, we synthesized and analyzed the effect of rehabilitation on patients with COVID-19 studied abroad. Methods: Randomized controlled trials on the rehabilitation of patients with COVID-19 were searched using four international databases: CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, and PEDro. For rehabilitation, a protocol including breathing training and physical activity was selected, and usual care or prior values were used for the control group. The quality of randomized controlled trials was assessed using the risk-of-bias tool provided by the Cochrane Library. Analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4, and data were weighted and pooled with a random-effects model. Results: Of the 129 studies identified, 4 were finally selected. A total
of 227 patients with COVID-19 were evaluated, and significant improvements were seen in forced expiratory volume in one second (SMD = 0.75; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.10–1.40; overall effect [Z = 2.25]) and depression (SMD = 3.46; 95% CI, 1.21–5.71; overall effect [Z = 3.02]), excluding forced vital capacity (SMD = 0.28; 95% CI −0.09 to 0.65; overall effect [Z = 1.48]). Conclusion: Rehabilitation showed improvement in respiratory function through breathing training, but a more effective protocol is required for tele-rehabilitation. In addition, interventions involving physical activity will have a beneficial effect on muscle loss and depression caused by quarantine because of coronavirus infection. |