Comparison of telerehabilitation methods for patients with systemic sclerosis in the COVID-19 Era: A randomized controlled study.

STUDY

DESIGN

This was a single-blinded randomized clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune connective tissue disease that progresses with fibrosis. Patients with SSc need to be protected against epidemic diseases and provided for in terms of rehabilitation needs.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: To compare the effects of real-time telerehabilitation (RTT) and asynchronous telerehabilitation (AT) on individuals with SSc.

METHODS

Forty-two participants with SSc with a mean age of 44.17 ± 11.05 years were included in the study. The patients were randomly divided into three groups, RTT (n = 16), AT (n = 16), and control (n = 16) groups. A structured rehabilitation program was performed in real-time (RTT group) and asynchronously (AT group) for 40 minutes per day, in three sessions per week for 8 weeks. The participants' finger and wrist joint range of motion (ROM), upper extremity functions, grip strength, superficial sense of touch, activities of daily living (ADL), and general health status were assessed at baseline and after treatment.

RESULTS

After 8 weeks, there were improvements in finger ROM (effect size [ES] = 0.23 to 0.60), wrist ROM (ES = 0.45 to 0.83), upper extremity functions (ES = 0.61 to 1.00), and ADL parameters (ES = 0.74) in the RTT group (p < 0.05). Also, there were improvements in finger ROM (ES = 0.16 to 0.45) and hand functions (ES = 0.54 to 0.55) in the AT group (p < 0.05). The RTT and AT groups had better hand functions and finger ROM than the control group in (p < 0.05). In addition, the RTT group had better wrist ROM than the control group (p = 0.008). RTT was superior to AT only in lateral pinch strength (p = 0.025).

DISCUSSION: Experimental groups achieved a statistically significant change in ROM, upper extremity functions and ADL over time in concordance with prior investigations. Changes in grip strength, superficial sense of touch, and general health status scores differed from previous investigations and the between-group comparison was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Both RTT and AT may be effective in individuals with SSc, and RTT has additional benefits.