Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation in COVID-19 Longhaulers

This study will test the efficacy of treadmill exercise combined with supplemental oxygen during exercise and recovery for the treatment of persistent post-acute COVID-19 symptoms. Participants will be pseudo-randomized (stratified by age) to one of four conditions for 8 treatment sessions: 1) treadmill exercise plus supplemental oxygen, 2) treadmill exercise plus air, 3) supplemental oxygen only, 4) air only. All participants will then cross-over and receive 16 additional sessions of treadmill exercise plus supplemental oxygen.

This study will test the efficacy of a COVID-19 specific cardiopulmonary rehabilitation protocol for treatment of persistent post-acute COVID symptoms and to study the impact of cardiopulmonary improvement on cognition, mental health, and function. Participants (N=36) with persistent post-acute COVID symptoms will undergo pre-treatment neurocognitive, orthostatic tolerance, and exercise tolerance tests before being pseudo-randomized (stratified by age and sex) to one of four conditions (all of which occur twice a week): 1) 8 sessions of treadmill exercise plus supplemental oxygen, 2) 8 sessions of treadmill exercise plus air, 3) 8 sessions of supplemental oxygen only, and 4) 8 sessions of air only. The pre-treatment testing will be repeated, after which all participants will receive 16 additional sessions of treadmill exercise plus supplemental oxygen, followed by post-treatment testing. All participants will complete baseline measures of physical and mental health, physical function, emotional wellbeing, and coping. A brief symptom measure will be collected daily and physical function, mental health, and emotional wellbeing will be assessed weekly.