PURPOSE: To demonstrate the benefits and safety of cardiopulmonary rehabilitations in patients previously admitted to hospital because of COVID-19 with sequelae.~METHODS: The participants will be divided into two groups: one with cardiopulmonary rehabilitations programs under the supervision of therapists 3 times a week, 12 weeks in total with lifestyle modification (experimental group); and the other with lifestyle modification and health education (active-controlled group). Before and after the interventions, several endpoints in interested are performed by the physicians or the research assistants, including cardiopulmonary exercise training (CPET), 6-minute-walk-test (6MWT), pulmonary function tests (PFT), and quality of life (QoL, we plan to use SF-36) questionnaire.
In 2022, though the optimized acute medical treatment of COVID-19 was determined, patients often experience the sequelae (also known as post-acute COVID-19 syndrome, the patients might develop cough, breathlessness, fatigue, weakness, impaired activities of daily livings etc.). Until now, there is no consensus for post-acute COVID-19 syndrome management. Previously, the cardiopulmonary rehabilitation revealed significant benefits in heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The aims of the study are demonstrating the benefits and safety of cardiopulmonary rehabilitations in patients previously admitted to hospital because of COVID-19 with sequelae.