Abstract：
OBJECTIVE: Biofeedback is a therapeutic treatment model that teaches self-regulation of autonomic functions to alleviate stress-related symptoms. \"Long COVID\" refers to chronic physical and cognitive sequelae post-SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study examined the efficacy of a six-week intervention, consisting of weekly one-hour sessions combining heart rate variability and temperature biofeedback, for alleviating mood symptoms, somatic symptoms and sleep disturbance of patients diagnosed with long COVID.
METHODS: Data were collected from 20 adult participants aged 22-63 (Mage = 44.1, SDage = 12.2) with varying long COVID symptoms. Within this single arm design, 16 of the 20 participants completed all six sessions of biofeedback; 14 completed an assessment at the three-month post-treatment time point.
RESULTS: Participants self-reported significant improvements in somatic, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, sleep quality, quality of life, and number of \"bad days\" immediately after the intervention and three months later (Cohen\'s d effect size (ES) = 1.09-0.46). Reduced number of medical doctor visits (ES = 0.85) and prescription drug use over the last month (odds ratio = 0.33), as well as improved emotional wellbeing (ES = 0.97) were observed at the three-month time point only.
CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that this short, readily scalable intervention can be potentially efficacious in alleviating symptoms of long COVID. Despite notable improvements, the major limitation of this study is its lack of control group. While a randomized trial merits study, biofeedback appears to be a brief, effective, non-invasive, and low-cost treatment option for patients with chronic somatic symptoms secondary to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
RESULTS: govID: NCT05120648.
METHODS: Data were collected from 20 adult participants aged 22-63 (Mage = 44.1, SDage = 12.2) with varying long COVID symptoms. Within this single arm design, 16 of the 20 participants completed all six sessions of biofeedback; 14 completed an assessment at the three-month post-treatment time point.
RESULTS: Participants self-reported significant improvements in somatic, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, sleep quality, quality of life, and number of \"bad days\" immediately after the intervention and three months later (Cohen\'s d effect size (ES) = 1.09-0.46). Reduced number of medical doctor visits (ES = 0.85) and prescription drug use over the last month (odds ratio = 0.33), as well as improved emotional wellbeing (ES = 0.97) were observed at the three-month time point only.
CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that this short, readily scalable intervention can be potentially efficacious in alleviating symptoms of long COVID. Despite notable improvements, the major limitation of this study is its lack of control group. While a randomized trial merits study, biofeedback appears to be a brief, effective, non-invasive, and low-cost treatment option for patients with chronic somatic symptoms secondary to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
RESULTS: govID: NCT05120648.
摘要：
目的：生物反馈是一种治疗性治疗模式，教导自主神经功能的自我调节，以缓解与压力相关的症状。“长COVID”是指SARS-CoV-2感染后的慢性身体和认知后遗症。这项研究检查了为期六周的干预措施的有效性，包括每周一小时的课程，结合心率变异性和温度生物反馈，为了缓解情绪症状，诊断为长COVID患者的躯体症状和睡眠障碍。
方法：数据来自20名年龄在22-63岁（Mage=44.1，SDage=12.2）的具有不同长COVID症状的成年参与者。在这种单臂设计中，20名参与者中有16名完成了所有六个生物反馈课程；14名在治疗后三个月的时间点完成了评估。
结果：参与者自我报告躯体方面的显着改善，焦虑,和抑郁症状,睡眠质量,生活质量,以及干预后和三个月后的“不良天数”数(科恩效应大小(ES)=1.09-0.46)。上个月医生就诊次数（ES=0.85）和处方药使用次数减少（比值比=0.33），仅在三个月的时间点观察到改善的情绪健康（ES=0.97）。
结论：结果表明，易于扩展的干预措施在缓解长型COVID症状方面可能是有效的。尽管有显著的改进，本研究的主要局限性在于缺乏对照组。虽然一项随机试验值得研究，生物反馈似乎是一个简短的，有效,非侵入性，对于继发于SARS-CoV-2感染的慢性躯体症状患者，可以选择低成本的治疗方案。
结果：govID：NCT05120648。
方法：数据来自20名年龄在22-63岁（Mage=44.1，SDage=12.2）的具有不同长COVID症状的成年参与者。在这种单臂设计中，20名参与者中有16名完成了所有六个生物反馈课程；14名在治疗后三个月的时间点完成了评估。
结果：参与者自我报告躯体方面的显着改善，焦虑,和抑郁症状,睡眠质量,生活质量,以及干预后和三个月后的“不良天数”数(科恩效应大小(ES)=1.09-0.46)。上个月医生就诊次数（ES=0.85）和处方药使用次数减少（比值比=0.33），仅在三个月的时间点观察到改善的情绪健康（ES=0.97）。
结论：结果表明，易于扩展的干预措施在缓解长型COVID症状方面可能是有效的。尽管有显著的改进，本研究的主要局限性在于缺乏对照组。虽然一项随机试验值得研究，生物反馈似乎是一个简短的，有效,非侵入性，对于继发于SARS-CoV-2感染的慢性躯体症状患者，可以选择低成本的治疗方案。
结果：govID：NCT05120648。
