Study in The BMJ Suggests Online Program Can Improve Quality of Life for Long Covid Patients
A recent study in The BMJ indicates that an online rehabilitation program focusing on physical and mental health could significantly enhance the quality of life for individuals grappling with long covid. The research highlights that the eight-week REGAIN program, conducted through online group sessions, resulted in sustained enhancements in fatigue, pain, and overall well-being compared to standard care. The study underscores the potential of this accessible and cost-effective program to be implemented broadly, offering valuable support to healthcare providers in managing this intricate condition.
Long covid, also known as post-covid condition, is characterized by persistent symptoms or the onset of new symptoms lasting more than four weeks following the initial infection. In the UK alone, as of March 2023, approximately 1.9 million individuals reported experiencing lingering covid-19 symptoms beyond 12 weeks, with 1.3 million enduring symptoms beyond one year and over 750,000 past the two-year mark.
Symptoms of long covid encompass extreme fatigue, breathlessness, cognitive issues, and muscle discomfort, all of which can significantly impact one’s quality of life, social interactions, and productivity. While rehabilitation programs have been proposed as a potential aid for individuals with long covid, the absence of trial data has left uncertainty regarding their efficacy and safety.
To address this gap, researchers embarked on a study to assess whether a structured online group program focusing on physical and mental health rehabilitation could enhance the quality of life for adults dealing with post-covid conditions compared to standard care.
The trial enrolled 585 adults (52% female; average age 56 years) who had been discharged from the hospital at least three months post-covid-19 infection and were experiencing persistent symptoms attributed to the virus. Participants were randomly assigned to either receive standard care (comprising a single online session of guidance and support from a trained practitioner) or the REGAIN intervention (involving weekly supervised group exercise and psychological support sessions conducted online over eight weeks).
The outcomes revealed that the REGAIN intervention was well-received and led to sustained improvements in health-related quality of life at three and 12 months compared to standard care, primarily driven by enhancements in fatigue, pain, and depression. Notably, at the three-month mark, 17% of the intervention group reported a significant improvement in their overall health compared to 8% in the standard care group.
While the researchers acknowledged some limitations, such as the inability to mask treatment allocation and the underrepresentation of non-White participants, they emphasized that the REGAIN trial provides robust evidence supporting the clinical benefits and safety of online physical and mental health rehabilitation for post-covid conditions.
The study’s findings hold substantial clinical implications, suggesting that rehabilitation programs for post-covid conditions should prioritize addressing fatigue, pain, and depression. Nonetheless, challenges persist in implementing novel rehabilitation approaches like REGAIN, including the generalizability of findings to individuals with milder infections and the acceptability of online interventions among those living with post-covid conditions.
Looking ahead, the researchers underscore the need for scalable training methods to equip clinicians to deliver effective rehabilitation for post-covid conditions. Additionally, healthcare providers must deliberate on supporting the implementation of new treatments. The forthcoming REGAIN economic evaluation is poised to offer valuable insights in this domain.
This article has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text, with only the headline altered.