Table 3.
Summary of the findings in relation to exercise via telerehabilitation.
| Exercise program compared with no rehabilitation for COVID-19 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patient or population: COVID-19 | Setting: home-based | Intervention: exercise program | Comparison: no rehabilitation | ||||||
| Outcomes | Anticipated absolute effectsa (95% CI) |
Relative effect (95% CI) | Number of participants (studies) | Certainty of the evidence (GRADE) | Comments | |
| Risk with no rehabilitation | Risk with exercise program | |||||
| Functional capacity at 12 wks | The mean change in functional capacity at 12 wks ranged from –3.22 to 18 m | MD 62 m higher (42 higher to 82 higher) | – | 228 (4) | ⊕⊕○○ Lowb,c |
Exercise program may increase functional capacity at 12 wks slightly. |
| Performance at 6 wks: 30-second sit-to-stand | The mean change in performance at 6 wks ranged from –0.59 to –0.55 repetitions | MD 2 repetitions higher (1.3 higher to 2.7 higher) | – | 84 (2) | ⊕⊕○○ Lowb,c |
Exercise program may increase performance at 6 wks slightly. |
| Dyspnoea at 2 wks: Multidimensional Dyspnoea-12 | The mean change in dyspnoea at 2 wks was 0.318 | MD 1.8 lower (2.5 lower to 1.1 lower) | – | 48 (1) | ⊕⊕○○ Lowb,c |
Exercise program may reduce dyspnoea at 12 wks slightly. |
| Free of dyspnoea at 12 wks | 617/1,000 | 907/1,000 (728 to 1,000) | RR 1.47 (1.18 to 1.82) | 112 (1) | ⊕⊕○○ Lowb,d |
Exercise program may increase the likelihood of being dyspnoea-free at 12 wks. |
| Pulmonary function at 6 wks: FEV1/FVC | The mean change in pulmonary function at 6 wks was 0.01 | MD 0.03 higher (0.03 lower to 0.09 higher) | – | 107 (1) | ⊕○○○ Very lowb,e |
Exercise program effect on pulmonary function at 6 wks remain very uncertain. |
| Lower limb muscle strength at 6 wks | The mean change in lower limb muscle strength at 6 wks was 7.98 | MD 21.37 higher (12.47 higher to 30.27 higher) | – | 112 (1) | ⊕⊕○○ Lowb,c |
Exercise program may increase lower limb muscle strength at 6 wks. |
| Quality of life (physical component) at 6 wks | The mean change in quality of life (physical component) at 6 wks was 3.84 | MD 3.97 higher (1.26 higher to 6.68 higher) | – | 112 (1) | ⊕⊕○○ Lowb,c |
Exercise program may increase quality of life (physical component) at 6 wks. |
| Quality of life (mental component) at 6 wks | The mean change in quality of life (mental component) at 6 wks was 4.17 | MD 1.98 higher (1.7 lower to 5.66 higher) | – | 112 (1) | ⊕○○○ Very lowb,e |
Exercise program effects on quality of life (mental component) at 6 wks remain very uncertain. |
| GRADE Working Group grades of evidence: High certainty: we are very confident that the true effect lies close to that of the estimate of the effect; Moderate certainty: we are moderately confident in the effect estimate: the true effect is likely to be close to the estimate of the effect, but there is a possibility that it is substantially different; Low certainty: our confidence in the effect estimate is limited: the true effect may be substantially different from the estimate of the effect; Very low certainty: we have very little confidence in the effect estimate: the true effect is likely to be substantially different from the estimate of effect. | ||||||
a
The risk in the intervention group (and its 95% CI) is based on the assumed risk in the comparison group and the relative effect of the intervention (and its 95% CI).
b
Downgraded one level due to methodological limitations.
c
Downgraded one level due to serious imprecision (few participants).
d
Downgraded one level due to serious imprecision (few events).
e
Downgraded two levels due to very serious imprecision (few participants and large confidence interval).