Effectiveness of breathing exercises on oxygen saturation in Post COVID patients; a prospective study

Abstract

Introduction: Restrictive ventilatory deficit (pulmonary fibrosis) is one of the most common problems seen in patients surviving coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). These patients were found to be unable to maintain peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) above 94% and also reported fatigue and fall of SpO2 on exertion. Early pulmonary rehabilitation of these patients may reduce long term complications.

Methodology: The study was conducted in 50 patients who were recruited from the post COVID-19 OPD of a tertiary care teaching hospital in central India.  The participants were advised breathing exercises (diaphragmatic breathing exercise, segmental chest expansion exercises, incentive spirometry and pranayama) for three months and results were evaluated by 6 minutes- walk test (SPO2, distance covered during 6MWT and the product of distance covered during 6MWT and weight ). 

Results: Results demonstrated significant improvement in clinical symptoms as well as SpO2. Baseline pre-walk SpO2 was 94.2 ± 0.78 and the post-walk SpO2 was 93.6 ± 0.88, both of which showed significant improvement at the end of 3 months (98.08 ± 1.24 (p=0.001) and 97.76 ± 1.17 (p=0.002) respectively). The distance as well as the product of distance covered and weight during 6MWT also showed significant improvement at the end of 3 months.

Conclusion:  The results of the study enable to give a proposition that along with medical treatment, chest physiotherapy (breathing exercises) must be implemented at the earliest which significantly improves pulmonary function in post-COVID patients.