TY  - JOUR
AU  - Derksen, Christina
AU  - Rinn, Robin
AU  - Gao, Lingling
AU  - Dahmen, Alina
AU  - Cordes, Cay
AU  - Kolb, Carina
AU  - Becker, Petra
AU  - Lippke, Sonia
PY  - 2023
DA  - 2023/10/4
TI  - Longitudinal Evaluation of an Integrated Post–COVID-19/Long COVID Management Program Consisting of Digital Interventions and Personal Support: Randomized Controlled Trial
JO  - J Med Internet Res
SP  - e49342
VL  - 25
KW  - postacute COVID-19 syndrome
KW  - PACS
KW  - symptom reduction
KW  - work ability
KW  - social participation
KW  - personal pilots
KW  - digital interventions
KW  - empowerment
KW  - randomized controlled trial
KW  - propensity score matching
KW  - COVID-19
AB  - Background: The postacute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS) can be addressed with multidisciplinary approaches, including professional support and digital interventions. Objective: This research aimed to test whether patients who received a health care facilitation program including medical internet support from human personal pilots and digital interventions (intervention group [IG] and active control group [ACG]) would experience fewer symptoms and have higher work ability and social participation than an untreated comparison group (CompG). The second objective was to compare the impact of a diagnostic assessment and digital interventions tailored to patients’ personal capacity (IG) with that of only personal support and digital interventions targeting the main symptoms (ACG). Methods: In total, 1020 patients with PACS were recruited. Using a randomized controlled trial design between the IG and the ACG, as well as propensity score matching to include the CompG, analyses were run with logistic regression and hierarchical-linear models. Results: Symptoms decreased significantly in all groups over time (βT1-T2=0.13, t549=5.67, P<.001; βT2-T4=0.06, t549=2.83, P=.01), with a main effect of the group (β=–.15, t549=–2.65, P=.01) and a more pronounced effect in the IG and ACG compared to the CompG (between groups: βT1-T2=0.14, t549=4.31, P<.001; βT2-T4=0.14, t549=4.57, P<.001). Work ability and social participation were lower in the CompG, but there was no significant interaction effect. There were no group differences between the IG and the ACG. Conclusions: Empowerment through personal pilots and digital interventions reduces symptoms but does not increase work ability and social participation. More longitudinal research is needed to evaluate the effects of a diagnostic assessment. Social support and digital interventions should be incorporated to facilitate health care interventions for PACS. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05238415; https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05238415. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): RR2-10.1186/s12879-022-07584-z 
SN  - 1438-8871
UR  - https://www.jmir.org/2023/1/e49342
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2196/49342
UR  - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37792437
DO  - 10.2196/49342
ID  - info:doi/10.2196/49342
ER  -