An Evaluation of Web Based Pulmonary Rehabilitation (webbasedPR)

The purpose of this pilot study is to compare a six week web-based pulmonary rehabilitation programme with traditional hospital-based pulmonary rehabilitation classes for people affected by COPD.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a term used to describe a number of lung conditions characterised by irreversible damage to the airways causing airflow obstruction. Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR) is a broad programme that helps improve the health and well-being of people with breathing difficulties, most commonly COPD. Participation in PR leads to improvements in exercise tolerance and functional ability, as well as a reducing breathlessness in everyday activities. It is traditionally an outpatient programme based in a hospital or community setting run by a multidisciplinary team, and usually lead by physiotherapy and nursing staff. Typically it includes a physical exercise programme, and advice and education on managing a chronic lung condition. The purpose of this pilot study is to compare a six week web-based pulmonary rehabilitation programme with traditional hospital-based pulmonary rehabilitation classes for people affected by COPD.

Participants will undertake web-based PR twice/week for 6 weeks in their own home. They will be given individual log-in details to access the website with access to exercises and education pages. Participants will be provided with a standardised exercise programme at the start of the study. The level of intensity of exercises will be progressed as appropriate on an individual basis for all participants in the group. Participant log-ins and diaries will be monitored remotely and participants will be telephone at weeks 2 and 4 by their physiotherapist to discuss their progress and, at this time, exercises may be progressed by changing the level of difficulty/intensity. This is done remotely by physiotherapy staff.

Participants allocated to this group will undertake hospital-based PR twice per week for 6 weeks in. Participants attend PR classes and complete a circuit based exercise class. The level of intensity of exercises will be progressed as appropriate on an individual basis for all participants in the group. Following each class they will receive educational information about their condition.

Inclusion Criteria: A diagnosis of COPD Suitable for participation in the NHS Lanarkshire PR programme Independently mobile Access to the internet in their own home Exclusion Criteria: Unstable cardiac or other health problems which may prevent participation in study Under the age of 18 Pregnant Unable to read/understand English Unwilling to be randomised into PR delivered via the hospital or internet

Cox NS, Dal Corso S, Hansen H, McDonald CF, Hill CJ, Zanaboni P, Alison JA, O'Halloran P, Macdonald H, Holland AE. Telerehabilitation for chronic respiratory disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021 Jan 29;1(1):CD013040. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013040.pub2.