Late Breaking Abstract - Smartphone application-based pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with chronic respiratory diseases

<bold>Background:</bold> Pulmonary rehabilitation improves exercise capacity, physical activity, dyspnea, quality of life, and even survival in patients with chronic respiratory disease, particularly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). <bold>Aims and objectives:</bold> We evaluated the clinical efficacy of smartphone application-based pulmonary rehabilitation programs. <bold>Methods:</bold> This was a single-center based single-blind randomized controlled study which recruited 90 participants from Asan Medical Center (60 for the intervention group and 30 for the control group). The intervention group underwent smartphone application-based rehabilitation for 12 weeks. The control group received usual outpatient medical treatment. The primary outcomes were maximal oxygen consumption measured by a cardiopulmonary exercise test and the COPD assessment test (CAT). <bold>Results:</bold> Total 90 participants were recruited and 67 (43 intervention group and 24 control group) completed follow-up visits. Their median age was 65.0 years and 45 (67.2%) were men. After rehabilitation, CAT score (median 7.0 vs 10.0, P = 0.039) and modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale (median 1.0 vs 2.0, P = 0.010) were lower and International Physical Activity Questionnaire score (median 1488.0 vs 1164.0, P = 0.037) was higher in the intervention group compared with the control group. In the subgroup analysis, participants who were physically active or compliant to rehabilitation program showed improved clinical parameters. <bold>Conclusions:</bold> The smartphone application-based pulmonary rehabilitation program improved quality of life and physical activity in patients with chronic respiratory disease.