The RECHARGE database: Towards a global standard for pulmonary rehabilitation (PR)

Background: Implementation of PR varies dramatically across low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Aims: RECHARGE is an NIHR Global research project aiming to develop and evaluate culturally appropriate PR in several LMICs: India, Sri Lanka, Kyrgyzstan and Uganda. Key ambitions of RECHARGE are to ensure outcome measures are collected in a standardised, high quality fashion for research and to provide a standardised data set for clinical service, practical for PR programmes in LMICs. Methods: We hosted a 3-day face-to-face international meeting with our LMIC partners, clinicians, researchers, health psychologists, research methodology experts and data scientists. A consensus-based exercise was used to formulate a draft core dataset. Initially, we developed categories of outcomes and subsequently these were populated with discreet tests/questionnaires. Results: A minimal core dataset was constructed and most country-specific elements were extracted into separate country-specific research projects. However, for practical purposes we decided to include some fields in the core data set which varied dramatically between different LMICs. Following the 3 day event, a draft set of outcomes was refined in 2 subsequent global conference calls and an agreed dataset was circulated (Figure). Conclusions: This essential work will underpin both the development of research studies and the international database as we move forward in RECHARGE.