Comparison of Cardiopulmonary Fitness Level With Normal Values After COVID-19

Overview

COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019) is a new infectious disease caused by a virus named as SARS-CoV2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2). Although it can have a devastating effect on many organs, the respiratory tract is particularly affected. In the course of the disease, a wide clinical spectrum is observed, from flu-like illness to lung failure. Some of the patients who survived the disease continue to have problems such as shortness of breath, fatigue, decrease in walking distance, decrease in participation in daily life activities. These problems suggest that the effects on respiratory and cardiac functions continue even after the disease ends. This study was designed to demonstrate the effects and extent of COVID-19 on cardiopulmonary capacity.

Aims of the research are that demonstrate change in cardiopulmonary fitness level in patients with COVID-19 according to normal values and reveal the relationship of this change with age, gender, physical activity level, disease severity and accompanying medical conditions. Patients older than 18 years old who are diagnosed with COVID-19 according to clinical symptoms and rt-PCR test positivity and at least 30 days past the end of their symptoms are accepted for the study. According to World Health Organization's (WHO) classification, COVID-19 disease severity is determined. Physical activity level of the patients before COVID-19 is evaluated with International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Risk of anxiety and depression of the patients is identified with Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), which has 14 questions. To evaluate cardiopulmonary fitness level, cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) and 6-minute walk test are applied. Cardiopulmonary exercise test is gold standard to determine cardiac and respiratory functions. Pulmonary function test is performed to identify the conditions that affect the results of cardiopulmonary exercise test.

Conditions