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Telerehabilitation has emerged as a promising approach to address the challenges posed by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) management. This article provides a comprehensive review of telerehabilitation’s characteristics,components, efficacy, patient experiences, and the implications for COPD patients. Telerehabilitation involves the use of telecommunication technologies to remotely deliver rehabilitation services, including exercise training, education, and monitoring, to individuals with COPD. It addresses barriers such as geographical distance and limited access to specialized facilities, making rehabilitation accessible from home. Telerehabilitation encompasses various approaches, including telemonitoring, teleconsultation, and tele-education. Several studies have indicated positive outcomes in exercise capacity, dyspnea, and quality of life when comparing telerehabilitation interventions to standard care or traditional rehabilitation programs. However, challenges related to technology access, digital literacy, and privacy need to be addressed for equitable implementation. Interdisciplinary collaboration among healthcare professionals is essential for the successful delivery of telerehabilitation. Future research should focus on refining the interventions, standardizing the protocols, and evaluating the long-term maintenance effects. By integrating patient-centered approaches and leveraging advancements in digital technologies, telerehabilitation can revolutionize COPD management strategies, enhancing patient outcomes in the modern healthcare landscape.

BACKGROUND: Jet nebulizers are commonly used for bronchodilator therapy in COPD. High-flow nasal cannula with vibrating mesh nebulizer (HFNC-VMN) is a recently developed system; however, few studies have compared the efficacy of bronchodilator administration via HFNC-VMN to jet nebulizer in stable COPD. This study aimed to compare the effect of salbutamol administered via HFNC-VMN versus jet nebulizer on airway and lung function in subjects with stable COPD. METHODS: This randomized non-inferiority crossover physiologic study enrolled subjects with stable COPD. Salbutamol was nebulized via HFNC-VMN or jet nebulizer in random order with a 4-h washout period between crossover sequences. Spirometry, lung volume, and impulse oscillometry were performed at baseline and after each intervention. The primary outcome was change in FEV1 from baseline. Secondary outcomes included changes in other respiratory-related parameters and nebulization time compared between the 2 devices. RESULTS: Seventeen subjects were enrolled. HFNC-VMN and jet nebulizer both significantly improved FEV1 from baseline (P = .005 and P = .002, respectively). The difference between respiratory resistance at 5 Hz and 20 Hz significantly decreased after HFNC-VMN compared to baseline (P = .02), while no significant change was observed after jet nebulizer (P = .056). Area of reactance and resonant frequency of reactance were both significantly decreased (P = .035 and P = .03, respectively), and respiratory reactance at 5 Hz significantly increased (P = .02) in the HFNC-VMN group compared to baseline indicating improved lung mechanics, with no significant changes with the jet nebulizer. HFNC-VMN had a shorter nebulization time (6 [5-9] min vs 20 [16-22] min, respectively, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Bronchodilator therapy via HFNC-VMN was not inferior to jet nebulizer for subjects with stable COPD and can significantly improve airway oscillometry mechanics and decrease nebulization time compared to jet nebulizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]