TY - JOUR T1 - Is Virtual Autonomous Physiotherapist Tele-rehabilitation Program feasible in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis? JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J DO - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2020.4746 VL - 56 IS - suppl 64 SP - 4746 AU - Jose Cerdán de las Heras AU - Fernanda Balbino AU - Ole Hilberg AU - Anders Løkke AU - Elisabeth Bendstrup Y1 - 2020/09/07 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/56/suppl_64/4746.abstract N2 - Background: In Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF), pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is recommended to improve exercise capacity. If relevant specialized hospital-based PR is even available, only few patients with IPF can participate due to frailty and long travelling distances. Therefore, tele-rehabilitation (TR) might be a standard treatment in the future. We investigated the feasibility and efficacy of TR on exercise capacity in patients with IPF.Method: Single-center, prospective, randomized study, including stable IPF patients, for 3 months (M) of TR: video and chat-consultations with a real physiotherapist and workout sessions with a virtual autonomous physiotherapist agent (VAPA). Exercise capacity was evaluated with 6-minute-walk-test (6MWT) before and after 3M TR, 3 and 6 M follow up. Control patients did not receive PR.Results: 26 patients (age 70.62±8.41 years, male 77%, FVC% 83.41±16.24, DLCO% 51.6±13.51, 6MWT 468.38±14.83) were included. 12 patients were randomized to TR with VAPA and 14 patients to the control group. The figure below displays mean differences in meters walked (6MWT), standard deviation, and p-value between groups.Conclusion: TR with VAPA is feasible for patients with IPF. Stabilization in exercise capacity after TR training with VAPA was demonstrated until 6 months after the end of TR while patients in the control group decreased.FootnotesCite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2020; 56: Suppl. 64, 4746.This abstract was presented at the 2020 ERS International Congress, in session “Respiratory viruses in the "pre COVID-19" era”.This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only). ER -