Telerehabilitation as an innovative strategy for the management of anxiety and dyspnea in post-COVID-19: A scoping review.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic brought challenges for everyone, especially for patients with persistent sequelae, driving interest in telerehabilitation as an alternative treatment. Additional evidence may be useful to better assess its efficacy and applicability in managing post-COVID-19 symptoms. This study aimed to enhance the understanding of telerehabilitation in the post-COVID-19 context, facilitating its integration into clinical settings and patient management. Adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines, we reviewed PubMed, Excerpta Medica, and Scopus databases until January 2024. The study included primary and secondary research evaluating the benefits and drawbacks of telerehabilitation for patients with persistent COVID sequelae. This review analyzed 19 studies on telerehabilitation for long-term COVID-19 patients. Key findings included the comparison between hospital-based and telerehabilitation and synchronous versus asynchronous telerehabilitation. The main sequelae addressed were dyspnea, quality of life, and anxiety. Limitations, particularly regarding costs, were also examined. Telerehabilitation provides psychological and social support, which is essential for managing post-COVID-19. Despite initial costs, long-term benefits include reduced anxiety and improved quality of life. More long-term research is needed to better understand the limitations and potential implications of telerehabilitation for integration into post-COVID-19 care to optimize outcomes and provide continuous support to patients and caregivers during recovery.