Optimizing cardiopulmonary rehabilitation to enhance physical health and quality of life in long COVID patients: an exercise physiology approach
Szarvas Zsófia Katalin
KÁROLY RÁCZ CONSERVATIVE MEDICINE PROGRAM
Dr. Fekete Andrea
SE Pulmonológiai Klinika tanterme
2026-01-05 15:00:00
Pulmonology
Dr. Losonczy György
Dr. Varga János Tamás
Dr. Vágvölgyi Attila
Dr. Bárczi Enikő
Dr. Székely Andrea
Dr. Eszes Noémi
Dr. Rojkó Lívia
Our study highlights the significant benefits of tailored pulmonary rehabilitation in improving long-term outcomes for individuals suffering from long COVID. The findings demonstrate that structured, individualized rehabilitation programs effectively mitigate persistent symptoms such as dyspnea, fatigue, and reduced exercise tolerance. Participants in our two-week rehabilitation program reported immediate and sustained improvements in both physical function and mental well-being, with these positive effects persisting for at least two months of post-rehabilitation.
Our study reinforces the importance of multidisciplinary rehabilitation approaches, including psychological support, patient education, and self-managed home exercises to sustain long-term recovery. Given the growing evidence linking chronic inflammation, comorbidities, and smoking history to prolonged long COVID conditions, targeted rehabilitation strategies for high-risk populations, such as smokers, individuals with pre-existing respiratory conditions, and those with persistent neurocognitive impairments should be prioritized.
Our Random Forest algorithm demonstrated promising classification performance to identify predictive patterns associated with the necessity for rehabilitation among individuals with varying physiological and functional profiles. These findings highlight the potential of certain respiratory parameters as reliable indicators and suggest the integration of predictive modeling into clinical assessments to optimize resource allocation in post-acute care settings.
In conclusion, tailored rehabilitation should be a fundamental component of long COVID management strategies, complementing preventive measures such as vaccination. Our findings support the implementation of personalized, evidence-based rehabilitation programs to facilitate recovery, improve quality of life, and reduce the long-term healthcare burden of long COVID. Further research is needed to optimize rehabilitation protocols, explore sex-specific responses to treatment, and integrate technological advancements such as tele-rehabilitation to enhance accessibility and long-term adherence.
Publications related to the PhD thesis
1. Szarvas Zsófia, Fekete M, Szollosi GJ, Kup K, Horvath R, Shimizu M, Tsuhiya F, Choi HE, Wu HT, Fazekas-Pongor V, Pete KN, Cserjesi R, Bakos R, Gobel O, Gyongyosi K, Pinter R, Kolozsvari D, Kovats Z, Yabluchanskiy A, Owens CD, Ungvari Z, Tarantini S, Horvath G, Muller V, Varga JT. Optimizing cardiopulmonary rehabilitation duration for long COVID patients: an exercise physiology monitoring approach. Geroscience. 2024 Oct;46(5):4163-4183. doi: 10.1007/s11357-024-01179-z.
2. Szarvas Zsófia, Fekete M, Horvath R, Shimizu M, Tsuhiya F, Choi HE, Kup K, Fazekas-Pongor V, Pete KN, Cserjesi R, Bakos R, Gobel O, Kovacs O, Gyongyosi K, Pinter R, Kovats Z, Ungvari Z, Tarantini S, Horvath G, Muller V, Varga JT. Cardiopulmonary rehabilitation programme improves physical health and quality of life in post-COVID syndrome. Ann Palliat Med. 2023 May;12(3):548-560. doi: 10.21037/apm-22-1143.
