Abstract
Research Objectives
To prospectively analyze functional capacity of young adults in relation to after COVID-19 infection and follow up these individuals after COVID-19 immunization.
Design
Observational prospective cohort study (partial results from FIT-COVID Study). After a minimum of 6 weeks from the second shot of COVID-19 vaccine participants were once again recruited to follow up evaluations.
Setting
Evaluations were performed at a public Physical Therapy outpatient clinic in Brazil.
Participants
We included male and female participants, aged 20–40 years after mild or moderate clinical COVID-19 with a previous positive PCR test that were not admitted to intensive care unit (COV). Participants were recruited after a minimum of 15 and maximum of 180 days of diagnosis by positive PCR test. An age-matched healthy control group (CT) that was negative for COVID-19 was also recruited.
Interventions
At baseline and follow up evaluation, functional capacity was assessed using the six-minute walk test (6MWT) and the 30-second stand from chair test (SC). Next, habitual physical activity (HPA) levels were assessed using accelerometry data. Finally, body composition (BC) was assessed using bioelectric impedance.
Main Outcome Measures
Meters walked during 6MWT, repetitions during SC. Secondarily, sedentary time in minutes, and body composition (lean mass in kilograms).
Results
Evaluations included Control Group (n=39) and Post-COVID-19 group (n=32). At baseline Post-COVID-19 group presented 626.69±100.68 meters and during the follow-up analysis (626.69±100.685 meters) with no significant difference between moments (p=0.698). No significant differences were observed between groups for 6MWT (p=0.698). In SC, there were no differences between moments (p=0.333) or groups (p=0.26). In the Post-COVID-19 group there was a significant reduction in sedentary time over the follow-up period (4070.36±1524.614 vs 3298.82±786.085; p=0.044). However, no differences were observed between groups (p=0.928). Finally, no differences were observed in body composition between groups or moments (p>0.05).
Conclusions
Functional capacity in young adults was not affected Post-COVID-19 infection and no changes were observed following immunization. Similar results, were observed for physical activity levels and body composition.
Author(s) Disclosures
None of the authors have any conflicts of interests.
Key Words: COVID-19, Physical Function, Physical Activity Level, Functional Capacity