The Effectiveness of Rehabilitation in a Day Hospital for Patients Previously Suffered from Covid Pneumonia

Abstract

Aim. To research the eff ectiveness of the third stage of rehabilitation in patients who have had pneumonia caused by the Covid-19 virus. Material and methods. A retrospective study of medical records was carried out on the basis of a medical rehabilitation department of the Sanatorium “Chuvashiyakurort” day hospital (Cheboksary, Chuvash Republic). The research included 124 people admitted to stage 3 of rehabilitation after suffering pneumonia associated with a new coronavirus infection in the period from April 2021 to September 2021. The rehabilitation included physical exercise therapy, dry carbon dioxide baths, low-frequency magnetotherapy, mud applications, halotherapy and massage procedures as well as psychotherapy methods. Results and discussion. As a result of rehabilitation, an improvement was achieved among all groups of patients: the median of the rehabilitation routing scale decreased from moderate (3 points) to mild (2 points). According to the results of the six-minute walk test after rehabilitation, an increase in distance from 100.00 m to 220.00 m was recorded among all groups of patients, the maximum increase in distance for both men and women was observed in the age group of 50-59 years, the minimum — in men and women of 60–69 years. In the group of patients with the comorbid diseases, the six-minute walk test scores were lower than in other group. In all age groups, the tolerance of physical activity on the Borg scale decreased from 2 to 1 in both women and men, except for women in the age group of 60–69 years, and men of 60–79 years (from 3 to 2). According to the BDI and TDI scales, an increase in the degree of necessary efforts was recorded: the indicators before rehabilitation were 3, after — 4 among all groups of patients. The severity of dyspnea on the mMRC scale had a positive trend: the median before rehabilitation was 1, after — 0 among men and women of all ages. The combination of physiotherapy exercises and physiotherapy procedures is the most effective in the process of rehabilitation. It is necessary to motivate patients to continue rehabilitation activities at home or in the sanatorium and resort environment because of persistent symptoms of breath shortness, sleep disorders, incomplete restoration of exercise tolerance. Conclusion. Comprehensive rehabilitation of patients after pneumonia associated with the new coronavirus infection caused by SARS-CoV-2 improves the general condition, increases exercise tolerance and helps to restore activity in everyday life, and improves the quality of life.