Feasibility of an Eight-Week Telerehabilitation Intervention for Patients with Unresectable Thoracic Neoplasia Receiving Chemotherapy: A Pilot Study

BACKGROUND: Exercise-based rehabilitation improves physical function, fatigue and quality of life in patients with thoracic neoplasia. However, the implementation of this intervention is limited because of poor accessibility and adherence. Consequently, telerehabilitation is a promising strategy to improve access and adherence to rehabilitation. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the feasibility, adherence and satisfaction of a home-based telerehabilitation program (TELERP) with real-time physiological parameters acquisition in patients with unresectable thoracic neoplasia receiving chemotherapy and to explore its effects on patients' functional capacity. METHODS: Five patients receiving chemotherapy followed an 8-week TELERP using real-time monitoring combined with interactive exercises. The TELERP included supervised and unsupervised exercise sessions (3 sessions/week). The feasibility of the TELERP, adverse outcomes and adherence were analyzed. Six-minute walking test (6MWT) and timed stair test (TST) were done to assess functional capacity. RESULTS: Five patients with lung cancer (mean age of 62 +/- 7 yr; BMI of 24 +/- 3 Kg/m(2)) completed the TELERP. Patients completed 15 supervised and 8.6 +/- 2.97 unsupervised exercise sessions, representing 100 and 96% of the prescribed sessions, respectively. Patients trained at moderate and high intensity >= 50% of the time of the cardiopulmonary exercise session. No adverse event occurred. Following the TELERP, TST and 6MWT improved significantly (Delta -3.0 +/- 0.19 s, p = 0.05 and Delta 39.8 +/- 19.7 m, p = 0.01, respectively). CONCLUSION: These results support the feasibility of a TELERP and suggest that such intervention may contribute to maintain or improve functional capacity for patients with thoracic neoplasia receiving chemotherapy.