PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Eleni Kortianou AU - Dimitrios Tsimouris AU - Aspasia Mavronasou AU - Sotirios Lekkas AU - Nikolaos Kazantzis AU - Maria Isakoglou AU - Georgia Dimakou AU - Zafeiria Barmparessou AU - Stamatoula Tsikrika AU - Vissaria Sakka AU - Angelos Liontos AU - Marianna Christaki AU - Charalampos Milionis AU - Ioannis Kalomenidis TI - Delivering an 8-week in-home telerehabilitation exercise program in patients with COVID-19 during the first pandemic in Greece AID - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2021.PA2261 DP - 2021 Sep 05 TA - European Respiratory Journal PG - PA2261 VI - 58 IP - suppl 65 4099 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/58/suppl_65/PA2261.short 4100 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/58/suppl_65/PA2261.full SO - Eur Respir J2021 Sep 05; 58 AB - Aim: To deliver a 2-month in-home telerehabilitation exercise program (TR) in patients infected with SARS-cov-2 in order to improve physical capacity after hospital dischargeMethod: We used a smartphone app (Viber) to establish a two-way communication between physiotherapists and home-quarantined patients at 4-6 weeks following hospital discharge. A specific to COVID-19 e-book with breathing exercises, relaxation techniques, aerobic exercise, total body strengthening exercises and dietician instructions was given and was taught to the patients during 4 one-hour sessions. Afterwards, patients continued a 2-month in-home exercise program consisted of daily self-practice of prescribed exercise and 3 one-hour supervised exercise TR sessions per month. Before and after TR, they were assessed via teleconference using the 3 min step test (3MST), the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and the 60sec Sit to Stand test (60STS)Results: Among 35 clinically stable individuals with fatigue symptoms who referred for TR, only 14 (40%) (age 51±13 years, BMI 29±2Kg/m2) concluded the 2-month period. No adverse effects were reported during exercise sessions. From baseline, 60STS score improved significantly (22±4 vs 31±7; p=.002), SPBB score showed trends of positive change (9.1±1.4 vs 9.9±1.7; p>0.05), whereas heart rate, systolic, diastolic pressure and Borg fatigue before and after 3MST were unchanged between the 2-month periodConclusion: A short number of TR sessions, for home-quarantined patients with COVID-19 after hospitalization, can improve leg muscle capacity. Adding data from more participants is necessary to demonstrate feasibility of TR in COVID-19 patientsFootnotesCite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2021; 58: Suppl. 65, PA2261.This abstract was presented at the 2021 ERS International Congress, in session “Prediction of exacerbations in patients with COPD”.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).