ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: High prevalences of muscle weakness and impaired physical performance in hospitalized patients recovering from COVID-19-associated pneumonia have been reported. Our objective was to determine whether the level of exercise capacity after discharge would affect long-term functional outcomes in these patients. METHODS: From three to five weeks after discharge from acute care hospitals (T0), patients underwent a six-minute walk test (6MWT) and were divided into two groups according to the distance walked in percentage of predicted values: <75% group and ≥75% group. At T0 and three months later (T1), patients completed the Short Physical Performance Battery and the Euro Quality of Life Visual Analogue Scale, and pulmonary function and respiratory muscle function were assessed. In addition, a repeat 6MWT was also performed at T1. RESULTS: At T0, 6MWD values and Short Physical Performance Battery scores were lower in the <75% group than in the ≥75% group. No differences were found in the Euro Quality of Life Visual Analogue Scale scores, pulmonary function variables, respiratory muscle function variables, length of hospital stay, or previous treatment. At T1, both groups improved their exercise capacity, but only the subjects in the <75% group showed significant improvements in dyspnea and lower extremity function. Exercise capacity and functional status values returned to predicted values in all of the patients in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Four weeks after discharge, COVID-19 survivors with exercise limitation showed no significant differences in physiological or clinical characteristics or in perceived health status when compared with patients without exercise limitation. Three months later, those patients recovered their exercise capacity.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Exercise Tolerance , Exercise Test , Humans , Quality of Life , Respiration , SARS-CoV-2ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT Objective: High prevalences of muscle weakness and impaired physical performance in hospitalized patients recovering from COVID-19-associated pneumonia have been reported. Our objective was to determine whether the level of exercise capacity after discharge would affect long-term functional outcomes in these patients. Methods: From three to five weeks after discharge from acute care hospitals (T0), patients underwent a six-minute walk test (6MWT) and were divided into two groups according to the distance walked in percentage of predicted values: <75% group and ≥75% group. At T0 and three months later (T1), patients completed the Short Physical Performance Battery and the Euro Quality of Life Visual Analogue Scale, and pulmonary function and respiratory muscle function were assessed. In addition, a repeat 6MWT was also performed at T1. Results: At T0, 6MWD values and Short Physical Performance Battery scores were lower in the <75% group than in the ≥75% group. No differences were found in the Euro Quality of Life Visual Analogue Scale scores, pulmonary function variables, respiratory muscle function variables, length of hospital stay, or previous treatment. At T1, both groups improved their exercise capacity, but only the subjects in the <75% group showed significant improvements in dyspnea and lower extremity function. Exercise capacity and functional status values returned to predicted values in all of the patients in both groups. Conclusions: Four weeks after discharge, COVID-19 survivors with exercise limitation showed no significant differences in physiological or clinical characteristics or in perceived health status when compared with patients without exercise limitation. Three months later, those patients recovered their exercise capacity.
RESUMO Objetivo: Há relatos de altas prevalências de fraqueza muscular e de comprometimento do desempenho físico em pacientes hospitalizados em recuperação de pneumonia associada à COVID-19. Nosso objetivo foi determinar se o nível de capacidade de exercício após a alta altera os desfechos funcionais em longo prazo nesses pacientes. Métodos: Três a cinco semanas após a alta dos cuidados agudos (T0), os pacientes foram submetidos ao teste de caminhada de seis minutos (TC6) e divididos em dois grupos de acordo com a distância percorrida no TC6 (DTC6) em percentual do previsto: grupo <75% e grupo ≥75%. Em T0 e três meses depois (T1), os pacientes responderam à Short Physical Performance Battery e à Euro Quality of Life Visual Analogue Scale, e foram avaliadas a função pulmonar e a função muscular respiratória. Além disso, o TC6 foi repetido em T1. Resultados: Em T0, a DTC6 e as pontuações na Short Physical Performance Battery foram menores no grupo <75% do que no grupo ≥75%. Não foram encontradas diferenças nas pontuações na Euro Quality of Life Visual Analogue Scale, nas variáveis de função pulmonar e função muscular respiratória, no tempo de internação hospitalar ou no tratamento anterior. Em T1, ambos os grupos melhoraram a capacidade de exercício, mas apenas os indivíduos do grupo <75% apresentaram melhoras significativas na dispneia e na função dos membros inferiores. Os valores de capacidade de exercício e estado funcional retornaram aos valores previstos em todos os pacientes de ambos os grupos. Conclusões: Quatro semanas após a alta, os sobreviventes da COVID-19 com limitação ao exercício não apresentaram diferenças significativas nas características fisiológicas e clínicas ou na percepção do estado de saúde em comparação aos pacientes sem limitação ao exercício. Três meses depois, esses pacientes recuperaram sua capacidade de exercício.
Subject(s)
Humans , Exercise Tolerance , COVID-19 , Quality of Life , Respiration , Exercise Test , SARS-CoV-2ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Evaluating severity of illness of patients with prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV) is important to adopt the best appropriate care management for each individual. Yet, no severity-of-illness scoring system has been specifically designed for this type of patients. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a new instrument, the Multi-INdependence Dimensions (MIND) questionnaire designed to comprehensively measure the severity of illness of patients under PMV. METHODS: The validation of the MIND questionnaire was performed during a longitudinal observational study conducted with PMV subjects in weaning facilities in three countries (Argentina, Colombia and Germany). The questionnaire validity was tested in 3 stages: 1) Specification of components, with description of item responses, inter-item and Cronbach alpha correlations; 2) Creation of the composite scores; 3) Measurement properties determination including test-retest reliability after 30 days, clinical validity (Medical Research Council (MRC) muscle strength score, Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), Dependence Nursing Scale and EuroQol-5 Dimension evaluated at inclusion), and ability to detect change. RESULTS: A total of 128 subjects participated in the validation study. Eleven component scores and four composite scores were created. MIND scores significantly correlated with MRC muscle strength, SOFA, DNS, GCS and EQ-5D, supporting the validity of the new scores. Intraclass Correlation Coefficient greater than 0.82 were observed for all composite scores, indicating good test-retest reliability. MIND scores were able to detect improvement in subject severity of illness. CONCLUSION: The MIND questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring comprehensively the multiple dimensions characterizing the severity of illness of PMV patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02255058 .