CClinicalTrials.gg
RecruitingNCT07762157Updated Aug 13, 2026

The Effectiveness of Tele-pulmonary Rehabilitation Program on People With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) After Hospitalization for Acute Exacerbation

An interventional study of Tele-pulmonary rehabilitation in COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), sponsored by North District Hospital. Recruiting at 1 site in Hong Kong. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-08-13.

Sponsored by North District Hospital · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
40
Allocation
Non-randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Introduction: There are great impacts of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) over healthcare and economic systems globally. Managing COPD stably in community is still a challenging topic due to its progressive nature, it is valuable to be studied with a view to improving the health status and quality of life in people with COPD and thus relieving the healthcare and economic burdens. Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) was proven to be cost-effective with clinical benefits in optimizing quality of life, physical conditions and reducing hospital re-admissions rate in people with COPD. Traditionally, PR training was conducted under professional supervision in a face-to-face format. Community-based PR, like tele-rehabilitation, centre-based and homebased rehabilitation are emerging as an effective alternative to traditional PR. Promoting community-based rehabilitation is possibly one of the ways to engage people with chronic diseases in selfmanagement at their doorstep, which will help to tackle the escalating aging population and their heavy burden to the public healthcare system in Hong Kong.

Objectives: The objectives of this study are:

  • To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of the newly developed tele-pulmonary rehabilitation program on people with COPD after hospitalized acute exacerbation,
  • To explore participants' experience towards the program and develop a deeper understanding about the enablers and barriers faced by participants in joining the - tele-pulmonary rehabilitation program for quality assessment and improvement Methodology: Quasi-experimental design will be adopted in quantitative study, participants will join an eight-session tele-PR program in the intervention group, and participants will join the control group when pending for traditional out-patient based PR program. Purposive sampling will be adopted, participants should be clinically diagnosed COPD, able to participate in scheduled PR program and able to listen, speak, read and understand Chinese. Four domains of outcome measures will be collected, including participant profile, physical health status, health-related quality of life and healthcare resources utilization, for evaluation. Qualitative study with phenomenological approach will be adopted to discover participants' experience in the service. Semistructured, individual face-to-face in-depth interviews will be conducted once participants complete the tele-pulmonary rehabilitation program. Significance: This study will provide solid evidence on the effectiveness of tele-pulmonary rehabilitation program for people with COPD after hospitalized for acute exacerbation.
02

Conditions studied

  • COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
03

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Clinically diagnosed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (therefore, with or without confirmation by previous spirometry), no limitation on GOLD stage for participants with previous spirometry; AND
  • Aged 18 or above, without limitation on sex, smoking history and medications using; AND
  • Able to participate in the scheduled pulmonary rehabilitation program; AND
  • Owning private electronic devices and Internet connection at

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • With unstable medical conditions; OR
  • With major musculo-skeletal, neurological, psychiatric or cognitive disorders; OR
  • Refusal on clinical study.
04

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Non-randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
40 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Intervention

    Tele-pulmonary rehabilitation

    Behavioral: Tele-pulmonary rehabilitation

  • No intervention
    Control

    Usual care

Interventions

  • BehavioralTele-pulmonary rehabilitation

    All exercises content will follow classic pulmonary rehabilitation, but will be conducted in tele-health format

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Six Minute Walk Test (6MWT)

    The Six Minute Walk Test (6MWT) uses a standard 30-meter indoor hallway protocol (measurement tool) to evaluate functional exercise capacity. The unit of measure is the total distance walked in meters. Scores range from a theoretical minimum of 0 meters to an unlimited maximum based on functional ability; higher values represent a better outcome (greater exercise tolerance).

    Time frame: Baseline measure within 3 days the participants are discharged from in-patient care; AND post-intervention measure at 8-week after baseline measure

  2. Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire (Hong Kong Chinese version) (SGRQ-HK)

    The Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire (Hong Kong Chinese version) (SGRQ-HK) is a disease-specific questionnaire (measurement tool) used to assess health-related quality of life. The unit of measure is the SGRQ total score (expressed as a points from 0 to 100). Scores range from a minimum of 0 to a maximum of 100; higher values mean a worse outcome (greater health impairment and lower quality of life).

    Time frame: Baseline measure within 3 days the participants are discharged from in-patient care; AND post-intervention measure at 8-week after baseline measure

  3. Unplanned hospital re-admission rate

    The Unplanned Hospital Re-admission Rate uses electronic medical record audit logs to evaluate health resource utilization. It is a binary variable that 'Yes' or 'No' are the only options. Unplanned is referring to any unscheduled admissions via Emergency Department, the time frame was within 28 days and within 3 months of the last hospital discharge, the date of the latest hospital discharge is defined as day 0.

    Time frame: Measure twice at 28-day and 3-month post-hospital discharge, independent to the intervention time-frame

Secondary outcomes

  1. Modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scale

    The Modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scale is a self-reported categorical rating scale (measurement tool) assessing the severity of breathlessness during daily activities. The unit of measure is the mMRC grade 0 to 4. Scores range from a minimum grade of 0 (breathless only with strenuous exercise) to a maximum grade of 4 (too breathless to leave the house or breathless when dressing); higher grades mean a worse outcome.

    Time frame: Baseline measure within 3 days the participants are discharged from in-patient care; AND post-intervention measure at 8-week after baseline measure

  2. Dyspnoea-12 (Chinese version) (D-12-C)

    The Dyspnoea-12 (Chinese version) (D-12-C) is a 12-item assessing both physical and affective components of breathlessness. The unit of measure is the D-12-C total score (summed points). Scores range from a minimum of 0 to a maximum of 36; higher scores mean a worse outcome (more severe dyspnea symptoms).

    Time frame: Baseline measure within 3 days the participants are discharged from in-patient care; AND post-intervention measure at 8-week after baseline measure

  3. Five-Time-Sit-To-Stand test (FTSTS)

    The Five-Time Sit-to-Stand test (FTSTS) utilizes a standardized 43-cm chair and stopwatch protocol (measurement tool) to evaluate lower-limb muscle power and functional mobility. The unit of measure is the time taken to complete 5 repetitions, in seconds. Scores range from a lower practical bound of 0 seconds (a maximum cutoff of 60 seconds is applied for non-completion); higher times in seconds mean a worse outcome (slower performance and reduced mobility).

    Time frame: Baseline measure within 3 days the participants are discharged from in-patient care; AND post-intervention measure at 8-week after baseline measure

  4. Handgrip strength

    Handgrip Strength is measured using a standardized hydraulic hand dynamometer (JAMAR® Model J00105, Lafayette Instrument Company, United States of America) to assess upper-limb isometric muscle strength. The unit of measure is kilograms of force (kg). Scores range from a minimum of 0 kg to an upper physiological limit; higher values represent a better outcome (greater muscle strength).

    Time frame: Baseline measure within 3 days the participants are discharged from in-patient care; AND post-intervention measure at 8-week after baseline measure

06

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
07

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07762157
Lead sponsor
North District Hospital
Responsible party
Mo Kim Chung (Advanced Practice Physiotherapist, North District Hospital) — Principal investigator
First posted
Aug 13, 2026
Start date
Dec 1, 2025
Primary completion
Dec 31, 2026 (estimated)
Completion
Mar 31, 2027 (estimated)
Last update
Aug 13, 2026

Study contacts

Kim Chung Mo
Contact
Dennis.Mo@link.cuhk.edu.hk
852 26837822

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Interested in this study?

Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.

Contact study team

Follow this study

Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.

Sign in to follow

Discussion

Questions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.

Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.

Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.

Start the discussion