Publication details
Post-COVID Syndrome and Cardiorespiratory Fitness-26-Month Experience of Single Center
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2023 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | LIFE-BASEL |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Web | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/13/3/684 |
| Doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/life13030684 |
| Keywords | post-COVID syndrome; cardiopulmonary exercise testing |
| Description | Introduction: Persistent post-COVID syndrome, also referred to as long COVID, is a pathologic entity that involves persistent physical, medical, and cognitive sequelae following COVID-19. Decreased fitness has repeatedly been reported in numerous studies dealing with post-COVID syndrome, however, it is still not fully clear which groups of patients may be more susceptible for persisting symptoms. Aim: The aim of our study was to evaluate the number of post-COVID patients with cardiac symptoms, where these patients were evaluated by CPET and the results compared with a control group of patients. Methods: Follow-up of patients in post-COVID outpatient clinic from 1 March 2020 to 31 May 2022. Inclusion criteria were positive PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 and age 18-100. The initial examination was performed 4-12 weeks after the disease onset. All patients with possible cardiac symptoms had completed cardiopulmonary exercise testing. The control group was randomly selected from a database of clients in 2019, with the preventive reason for evaluation. Results: From 1 March 2020 to 31 May 2022, 2732 patients (45.7% males) were evaluated with a mean age of 54.6 +/- 14.7. CPET was indicated only in 97 patients (3.5%). Seventy-four patients (26 male) achieved the exercise maximum and a comparison were made with a control group (same age (p = 0.801), BMI (p = 0.721), and sex ratio). No significant dependence between the parameter VO2 max mL/kg/min and post-COVID disability was demonstrated (p = 0.412). Spearman's correlation analysis did not show a significant relationship between the parameter VO2 max mL/kg/min and the severity of COVID-19 (p = 0.285). Conclusions: Cardiac symptoms occurred in only a small percentage of patients in our study. There is a need for further studies that would objectively evaluate the effect of COVID-19 disease on the patient's health. |