Patients with COVID-19 may experience prolonged physical and psychological symptoms after weeks or months of the infection. This may be caused by a combination of factors including poor nutrition, low physical activity, and lack of emotional support. Leading to poor overall health and low quality of life. This evidence indicated that people with long COVID-19 need a personalized intervention. Our objective is to determine if the use of an online application that is based on preventive self-care and that includes nutrition and mindfulness will be feasible to use for patients with long COVID.
A Canadian web-based platform called My Viva Plan® became available. This web-based platform is based on preventive self-care and it includes three key pillars of health: nutrition and mindfulness. Long COVID patients will be randomized into the following two groups; intervention arm (will use a web-based platform for 8 weeks) vs. control arm (will not use a web-based platform for 8 weeks).The primary aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility (defined by recruitment, adherence, and retention) of an 8-week digital nutrition and mindfulness self-care intervention program using My Viva Plan® versus usual care (i.e. general advice) in patients with long COVID who continue to have signs and symptoms not explainable by other causes. Dietary intake, physical function, body composition and mental health variables will also be explored.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
45
Participants will use a web-based platform (i.e. My Viva Plan®) to improve physical function, nutrition and mindfulness.
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Feasibility (defined by recruitment, adherence, and retention).
The proportion of participants that agreed to participate, the engagement in the platform (login), participants who complete both visits
Time frame: Baseline, week 8
Changes in quality of life parameters
Changes in scores of quality of life assessed by EuroQol 5-level EQ-5D.
Time frame: Baseline, week 8
Changes in fat mass
Changes in fat mass (kg) using bioelectrical impedance analysis
Time frame: Baseline, week 8
Changes in lean mass
Changes in lean mass (kg) using bioelectrical impedance analysis
Time frame: Baseline, week 8
Changes in muscle cross sectional area
Changes in muscle cross sectional area (cm2) using an ultrasound
Time frame: Baseline, week 8
Changes in dietary intake
Changes in diet quality assessed by dietary intake assessed by Automated Self-Administered 24-hour dietary assessment tool and analysed with Canadian version of the Healthy Eating Index
Time frame: Baseline, week 8
Changes in mindfulness with Mental health questionnaire from the Symptom Burden Questionnaire for Long COVID
Changes in mindfulness assessed by Mental health questionnaire from the Symptom Burden Questionnaire for Long COVID (SBQ-LC). 9-item measure. Scores are to 0-100 linear. Higher scores indicate greater symptom burden.
Time frame: Baseline, week 8
Changes in self-efficacy assessed with Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System
Changes in self-efficacy for managing chronic conditions with of 8-item questionnaire that is based on a Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS).The total raw score (ranging from 8 to 40) will be transferred to a T-score. A mean of 50 and a standard deviation (SD) of 10 will be the average. A higher PROMIS T-score indicates that the respondent has greater self-efficacy for managing their emotions than the general chronic condition population.
Time frame: Baseline, week 8
Changes in physical function
Changes in physical function assessed by handgrip strength
Time frame: Baseline, week 8
Changes in physical performance
Changes in physical performance assessed by 6-minute walk test
Time frame: Baseline, week 8
Changes in physical activity (daily activities subscale) by the Symptom Burden Questionnaire for Long COVID.
Changes in physical activity assessed by Daily Activities Symptom Burden Questionnaire for Long COVID (SBQ-LC). Raw scores (ranging from 0 to 24) will be converted to 0-100 linear scores with conversion tables. Higher scores indicate greater symptom burden.
Time frame: Baseline, week 8
Changes in physical activity using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire
Changes in physical activity assessed by International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). This questionnaire collects information about three specific types of physical activity: walking, moderate-intensity activities and vigorous intensity activities. To compute the total score, measures of frequency (measured in days per week) and duration (time per day) are needed. We will use this information to compare over time.
Time frame: Baseline, week 8
Changes in resting energy expenditure
Changes in resting energy expenditure assessed by a metabolic cart (indirect calorimetry)
Time frame: Baseline, week 8
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