Effectiveness of endurance training rehabilitation after hospitalisation in intensive care for COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome on dyspnoea (RECOVER): a randomised controlled, open-label multicentre trial

BackgroundCOVID-19-related Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (CARDS) is the severe evolution of the Sars-Cov-2 infection leading to an intensive care unit (ICU) stay. Its onset is associated with "long-covid" including persisting respiratory disorders up to one year. Rehabilitation is suggested by most guidelines in the treatment of "long-covid". As no randomised controlled trial did support its use in "long-covid" we aimed to evaluate the effects of endurance training rehabilitation (ETR) on dyspnoea in "long-covid" following CARDS. MethodsIn this multicentre, two-arm, parallel, open, assessor-blinded, randomised, controlled trial performed in three French ICU, we enrolled adults previously admitted for CARDS, discharged for at least three months and presenting an mMRC dyspnea scale score > 1. Eligible patients were randomly allocated (1:1) to receive either ETR or standard physiotherapy (SP), both for three months. Outcomes assessors were masked to treatment assignment. Primary outcome was dyspnoeas evolution, measured by Multidimensional Dyspnea Profile (MDP) at inclusion and after 90 days. ResultsBetween August 7, 2020 and January 26, 2022, 871 COVID-19 patients were screened, of whom 60 were randomly assigned to ETR (n=27) or SP (n=33). Mean MDP score after treatment was significantly lower in the ETR group than in the SP group (26.15 [SD 15.48] vs. 44.76 [SD 19.25]; mean difference -18.61 [95% CI -27.78 to -9.44]; p<0.0001). ConclusionCARDS patients suffering from breathlessness three months after discharge improved their dyspnoea significantly more when treated with ETR for three months rather than with SP.