Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40397936›Full record

ArticleJMIR research protocols2025

Multimodal Web-Based Telerehabilitation for Patients With Post-COVID-19 Condition: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Aleksandar Tomaskovic, Vincent Weber, David T Ochmann, Elmo Wanja Neuberger, Ella Lachtermann, Alexandra Brahmer, Nils Haller, Barlo Hillen, Kira Enders, Viktoria Eggert and 3 more

Abstract readClinical Trial Protocol
In one paragraph

Article in JMIR research protocols, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Aleksandar TomaskovicDepartment of Sports Medicine, Prevention and Rehabilitation, Institute of Sport Science, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-9370-7798
Vincent WeberDepartment of Sports Medicine, Prevention and Rehabilitation, Institute of Sport Science, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-9138-4932
David T OchmannDepartment of Sports Medicine, Prevention and Rehabilitation, Institute of Sport Science, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-1099-7783
Elmo Wanja NeubergerDepartment of Sports Medicine, Prevention and Rehabilitation, Institute of Sport Science, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-2021-6477
Ella LachtermannDepartment of Sports Medicine, Prevention and Rehabilitation, Institute of Sport Science, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.ORCID 0009-0005-5322-0765
Alexandra BrahmerDepartment of Sports Medicine, Prevention and Rehabilitation, Institute of Sport Science, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-5963-4209
Nils HallerDepartment of Sports Medicine, Prevention and Rehabilitation, Institute of Sport Science, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-7066-7615
Barlo HillenDepartment of Sports Medicine, Prevention and Rehabilitation, Institute of Sport Science, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-5090-2286
Kira EndersDepartment of Sports Medicine, Prevention and Rehabilitation, Institute of Sport Science, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.ORCID 0009-0005-7178-4994
Viktoria EggertDepartment of Sports Medicine, Prevention and Rehabilitation, Institute of Sport Science, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.ORCID 0009-0006-1160-4653
Peter ZeierDepartment of Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology, Institute of Psychology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-2280-147X
Klaus LiebDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-9609-4261
Perikles SimonDepartment of Sports Medicine, Prevention and Rehabilitation, Institute of Sport Science, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-7996-4034

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPatients with post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) experience persistent, long-term health consequences following SARS-CoV-2 infection, including fatigue, hyperventilation, cognitive impairment, and limitations in daily activities. There is emerging evidence suggesting that exercise and respiratory therapy-based telerehabilitation is safe and could potentially improve physical capacity while reducing health care costs.

objectiveThis study aims to evaluate the superiority of a multimodal, symptom-titrated telerehabilitation program over standard care in patients with PCC who are severely affected, using the highest oxygen uptake rate (VO

methodsThis prospective, randomized, waitlist-controlled trial was approved by the Rhineland-Palatinate Medical Association ethics committee. All procedures comply with the Declaration of Helsinki. This study comprises 3 examination time points, which include patient-reported outcomes, clinical assessments, and a CPET. It is structured into an 8-week intervention phase followed by an 8-week follow-up phase. Following baseline assessment, patients will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group (IG) or the control group (CG). During the intervention phase, IG participants will receive a web-based, multimodal, symptom-titrated telerehabilitation program consisting of sports medicine consultations, weekly teleconsultations, a structured pacing approach, and exercise and respiratory therapy. In contrast, CG participants will receive treatment as usual, which includes a single sports medicine consultation on healthy habits and a self-directed pacing approach for managing symptoms and daily activities. During the follow-up phase, IG participants will continue training independently without teleconsultations, whereas CG participants will undergo the same telerehabilitation intervention as the IG. A follow-up assessment will be conducted for both groups to evaluate long-term effects. This study adheres to the SPIRIT (Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials) guidelines and follows the Consensus on Exercise Reporting Template.

resultsRecruitment began in August 2023 and was extended until March 2025. As of March 2025, 80 participants have been recruited, and data analysis is ongoing. Final results are expected by December 2025, with a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data anticipated by July 2025.

conclusionsThis study is the first randomized controlled trial investigating the effectiveness of multimodal and symptom-titrated telerehabilitation in patients with PCC who are severely affected. The integration of various objective diagnostic systems will provide valuable insights into emerging postviral fatigue syndromes, supporting the development of CPET-based diagnostics, personalized rehabilitation strategies, and future research on long-term telerehabilitation effectiveness. The findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, professional networks, and patient advocacy groups to ensure scientific, clinical, and public impact.

trial registrationGerman Clinical Trials Register (DRKS) DRKS00032394; https://drks.de/search/de/trial/DRKS00032394. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/65044.

Indexed as

COVID-19Exercise TherapyTelerehabilitationEquivalence Trials as TopicExercise TestHumansInternetMaleProspective StudiesRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicSARS-CoV-2chronic fatigue syndromeexercise intoleranceME/CFSmyalgic encephalomyelitisPEMphysiotherapypostexertional malaisereturn to work

Identifiers

PMID40397936
PMCPMC12138299

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.