THE EFFECTS OF TELEREHABILITATION IN RHEUMATIC DISEASES DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Abstract

Purpose: This study was designed to investigate the effects of telerehabilitation on fatigue, depression, anxiety, disease activity, sleep quality and quality of life in patients with rheumatic diseases. Methods: This study included 28 patients with rheumatic diseases. Patients were divided into two groups as intervention group (IG) (n=16) and control group (CG) (n=12). Both groups kept on their regular medical care and an IG group additionally had exercise program. An exercise program including strengthening, stretching, breathing, posture and relaxation exercises was practiced to the IG via video-conference method while no additional therapy was applied to the CG. Assessments were performed using SurveyMonkey to avoid face to face connection. Anxiety and depression were assessed with Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), fatigue was assessed with Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), sleep quality was assessed with Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and quality of life was assessed with Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ). Additionally, disease activity was evaluated with disease-specific measurements. Results: Significant differences were found in anxiety (p=0.009), fatigue (p=0.003) and sleep quality (p=0.011) in group-by-time assessments in IG while no significant group-by-time difference were observed in any assessments in CG (p>0.05). No significant differences was observed in delta measurements of fatigue, quality of life, depression, anxiety and sleep quality within groups although patients in IG had better outcomes for all parameters compared to CG (p>0.05). Conclusion: Telerehabilitation was found to be a safe and effective method for patients with rheumatic diseases.