24.12.2023
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) has been perceived as a challenging health issue without effective treatment options. However, recent progress has transformed this perception, offering new possibilities for enhancing patients' overall health and elevating their quality of life. Whether through personalized medical interventions tailored to individual needs or improved strategies for exacerbation management, or with increased support for physical activity and rehabilitation, there are now diverse ways to support and improve the well-being of individuals with COPD. Today, we would like to go over one of these studies that have the goal to digitize and improve COPD management.
This study conducted by Breathment aims to revolutionize COPD management. This research aims to assess the impact of app-based pulmonary rehabilitation teletherapy coupled with online therapy sessions with a physiotherapist on COPD patients’ post-acute exacerbation.
Let us give you more insights on the way this promising study is conducted: The study aims to recruit participants in Germany from the Asklepios-Fachkliniken München Gauting.
These COPD patients will then be provided with guideline-supported, non-pharmacological digital pulmonary rehabilitation therapy. This approach integrates a mobile eHealth application with video therapy sessions conducted by actual physiotherapists. The intervention group (Arm 1) accesses the Breathment Therapy App with a personalized rehabilitation plan and two video therapy sessions, while the active control group (Arm 2) engages in self-directed physical training and receives informational material.
So, how do they find out the results? The primary endpoints rather focus on dyspnea measured by the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score and physical performance assessed by the 1-minute sit-to-stand test repetition count. Secondary endpoints incorporate other aspects that are equally valuable, such as quality of life, daily step count, subjective health status, exacerbation and hospitalization frequencies and durations, user-friendliness assessment, and device-related issues.
As already mentioned above, Breathment takes the lead as the primary sponsor of this study. The collaboration between scientific research and industry stakeholders, in this case Breathment, underlines the multidisciplinary nature of this innovative research. And needless to mention that this collaboration can only take place thanks to the shared interest in advancing digital healthcare and personalized rehabilitation for COPD patients, especially post-exacerbation.
To conclude, one can definitely say that this study represents a pioneering effort to enhance COPD rehabilitation through innovative digital solutions. The trial seeks to redefine post-exacerbation care and improve patient outcomes with the help of the Breathment App. Such collaborations between scientific researchers and industry are contributing to shaping the future of COPD management. This is why this study Breathment is conducting with Asklepios-Fachkliniken Gauting has valuable potential to reshape the known approach to pulmonary rehabilitation and digital health strategies for individuals recovering from acute COPD exacerbations.
