Evaluating a Comprehensive Multimodal Outpatient Rehabilitation Program for PASC Program to Improve Functioning of Persons Suffering From Post-COVID-19 Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial

NCT06156202 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: 853695
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 125
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

About 10-20% of persons who contract SARS CoV-2 will experience persistent post-acute sequelae of SARSCoV-2 infection (referred here as PASC). While treatments offered at emerging outpatient COVID recovery clinics are being informed by previous similar diseases, the need is great for a better understanding of the unique needs of this growing population and for tested, efficacious rehabilitation programs to address them. We provide both here.The targeted six-week program will be comprised of a core set of therapies, including individually titrated stretching and flexibility, strengthening of accessory breathing muscles and diaphragm, resistance and aerobic conditioning, and vestibular rehabilitation, supplemented by neuropsychological and cognitive remediation tailored to patients' needs.

Conditions

Post-Acute COVID-19; Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome; Post-Acute COVID-19 Infection; Long COVID; Long Covid19; Dyspnea; Orthostasis; Cognitive Impairment

Keywords

PASC; Long COVID

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Six minute walk test

  At week 1 and week 8

Study Arms (2)

Augmented Usual Care

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Following randomization, subjects in the augmented usual care group will be given the results of their in-person baseline assessment as well as the WHO Guide "Support for Rehabilitation Self-Management after COVID-19 Related Illness." This guide consists of ways to manage: breathlessness, difficulty with voice, eating, drinking and swallowing; problems with attention, memory and thinking clearly; limitations in activities of daily living, manage stress and mood dysfunction and advice for when to contact healthcare professionals. Follow-up interviews will assess process measures, including use of outpatient rehabilitation clinics, to examine possible contamination effects

Other: Augmented Usual Care

Comprehensive Rehabilitation

EXPERIMENTAL

Subjects will be given the option to undergo the comprehensive rehabilitation program including speech therapy and physical therapy. Progression through the rehabilitation program will be personalized and designed based on impairments identified during the comprehensive baseline assessment and previous sessions. Subjects will undergo 12 one- hour sessions over the course of six weeks. The exercise program will be graded and targeted to the person's physical capacity with the goal of slowly advancing the exercise duration or intensity to effect physiological strengthening and increased physical function.

Other: Comprehensive Rehabilitation

Interventions

Augmented Usual Care OTHER

Following randomization, subjects in the augmented usual care group will be given the results of their in-person baseline assessment as well as the WHO Guide "Support for Rehabilitation Self-Management after COVID-19 Related Illness." This guide consists of ways to manage: breathlessness, difficulty with voice, eating, drinking and swallowing; problems with attention, memory and thinking clearly; limitations in activities of daily living, manage stress and mood dysfunction and advice for when to contact healthcare professionals. Follow-up interviews will assess process measures, including use of outpatient rehabilitation clinics, to examine possible contamination effects

Augmented Usual Care

Comprehensive Rehabilitation OTHER

Subjects will be given the option to undergo the comprehensive rehabilitation program including speech therapy and physical therapy. Progression through the rehabilitation program will be personalized and designed based on impairments identified during the comprehensive baseline assessment and previous sessions. Subjects will undergo 12 one- hour sessions over the course of six weeks. The exercise program will be graded and targeted to the person's physical capacity with the goal of slowly advancing the exercise duration or intensity to effect physiological strengthening and increased physical function.

Comprehensive Rehabilitation

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• years if age or older
• English or Spanish speaking
• Previously tested positive for COVID
• Still having symptoms not explained by any other etiologies
• Cognitive impairment
• Fatigue

You may not qualify if:

• Participation in another clinical trial
• Score greater than 12 on the fatigue scale
• Score greater than 30 on the memory/thinking scale
• Severe cognitive impairment (i.e. Alzheimer's, Dementia)
• Mental or physical inability to participate in the program

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Pennsylvania: lead
• Medical College of Wisconsin: collaborator
• National Institutes of Health (NIH): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19145, United States

Location

Related Publications (5)

• Pezzin LE, Larson ER, Lorber W, McGinley EL, Dillingham TR. Music-instruction intervention for treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder: a randomized pilot study. BMC Psychol. 2018 Dec 19;6(1):60. doi: 10.1186/s40359-018-0274-8.

  PMID: 30567598 BACKGROUND

• Abramoff BA, Dillingham TR, Caldera FE, Ritchie MD, Pezzin LE. Inpatient Rehabilitation Outcomes After Severe COVID-19 Infections: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2021 Dec 1;100(12):1109-1114. doi: 10.1097/PHM.0000000000001885.

  PMID: 34657085 BACKGROUND

• Dillingham T, Kenia J, Shofer F, Marschalek J. A Prospective Assessment of an Adjustable, Immediate Fit, Transtibial Prosthesis. PM R. 2019 Nov;11(11):1210-1217. doi: 10.1002/pmrj.12133. Epub 2019 Apr 1.

  PMID: 30734517 BACKGROUND

• McCloskey C, Kenia J, Shofer F, Marschalek J, Dillingham T. Improved Self-Reported Comfort, Stability, and Limb Temperature Regulation with an Immediate Fit, Adjustable Transtibial Prosthesis. Arch Rehabil Res Clin Transl. 2020 Dec;2(4):100090. doi: 10.1016/j.arrct.2020.100090. Epub 2020 Nov 2.

  PMID: 33381750 BACKGROUND

• Abramoff B, Dillingham T, Rybicki AK, Shofer F, McGinley E, Verma SS, Kuns MC, Barry JT, Pezzin LE. Evaluating a Comprehensive Multimodal Outpatient Rehabilitation Program to Improve the Functioning of Persons Suffering from Post-acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC): A Randomized Controlled Trial. Res Sq [Preprint]. 2025 Aug 18:rs.3.rs-7375832. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7375832/v1.

  PMID: 40894014 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome; Dyspnea; Dizziness; Cognitive Dysfunction

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

COVID-19; Pneumonia, Viral; Pneumonia; Respiratory Tract Infections; Infections; Virus Diseases; Coronavirus Infections; Coronaviridae Infections; Nidovirales Infections; RNA Virus Infections; Lung Diseases; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Post-Infectious Disorders; Chronic Disease; Disease Attributes; Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Respiration Disorders; Signs and Symptoms, Respiratory; Signs and Symptoms; Sensation Disorders; Neurologic Manifestations; Cognition Disorders; Neurocognitive Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Officials

• Timothy Dillingham, MD, MS

  University of Pennsylvania

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 28, 2023
• First Posted: December 5, 2023
• Study Start: November 15, 2023
• Primary Completion: November 30, 2025
• Study Completion: November 30, 2025
• Last Updated: January 20, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)