Follow-up of Cardiopulmonary Responses Using Submaximal Exercise Test in Older Adults with Post-COVID-19.

Background: Data on cardiopulmonary fitness in older adults in the longer term after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are of interest as the time required for the full recovery of physical fitness after COVID-19 remains unclear. Some studies have reported that patients do not recover physical fitness for up to 6 or 12 months after COVID-19, whereas other studies have observed full recovery after 12-months. Therefore, this study evaluated and compared the cardiopulmonary responses induced by the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and 1-minute sit-to-stand-test (STST) results at 3, 6, and 12 months in older adults with and without COVID-19. Methods: This study included 59 older adults with and without a history of COVID-19. The cardiopulmonary response parameters including heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), pulse oxygen saturation (O2 sat), rate of perceived exertion (RPE), and leg fatigue were evaluated in the participants after 6MWT and 1-min-STST assessments. Results: Post-COVID-19, older adults showed statistically significant differences in HR, SBP, DBP, O2 sat, RPE, leg fatigue, 6MWT time, and 1-min-STST step numbers at 3, 6, and 12 months (P < 0.001). Moreover, older adults showed statistically significant differences in HR, SBP, DBP, RPE, leg fatigue, O2 sat, and 6MWT distance at 3 months post-COVID-19 compared with those in older adults without COVID-19 (P < 0.001). Conclusion: While older adults showed recovery of cardiopulmonary response parameters according to 6MWT and 1-min-STST findings at the 12-month follow-up post-COVID-19, these results of these measurements did not return to the values observed in older adults without COVID-19.

Comparison of cardiorespiratory parameters between 6-minute walk test and 1-minute sit to stand test in young adults with post-COVID-19: follow-up 3 months.

Background: The investigation of cardiorespiratory fitness in young adults post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is interesting because this information may help in understanding cardiorespiratory function in these populations. Moreover, it helps to know that these impairments possibly interfere with study, learning, and the activities of daily life in young adults post-COVID-19. This study aims to investigate and compare the cardiorespiratory parameters between 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and 1-minute sit-to-stand test (1-min-STST) in healthy young adults and post-COVID-19 and at a 3-month follow-up. Methods: Forty-six young adults were recruited and divided into two groups including healthy young adults in one group (n=23) and post-COVID-19 patients in the other group (n=23). The young adults were assessed for cardiorespiratory parameters including heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), pulse oxygen saturation (SpO2), rate of perceived exertion (RPE), and leg fatigue before and after performing a 6MWT and a 1-min STST at baseline and the 3-month follow-up. Test sequences were randomly assigned using the website randomizer.org. Results: Post-COVID-19 had significantly decreased post-HR, post-SBP, post-SpO2, post-RPE, post-leg fatigue, and increased the distance of 6MWT, and number of steps of 1-min-STST when compared with the baseline (P<0.05). However, all parameters of cardiorespiratory could recover and return to the values of healthy young adults by the follow-up at 3 months. Conclusions: Post-COVID-19 who recovered from mild-COVID-19 for about 6 months recovered their cardiorespiratory parameters to the values of healthy young adults.

Evaluating the Balancing Ability of Older Adults with Diabetes Mellitus Using the Multi-directional Reach Test.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of elderly people experiencing falls is currently increasing, which results in serious medical issues, such as fear of falling, limited physical activity, disability, and bone fractures, especially hip fractures. This study aimed to investigate balancing ability using a multi-directional reach test (MDRT) in older adults with and without diabetes mellitus. METHODS: 72 older adults with and without diabetes mellitus were recruited, and divided into two groups, including older adults without diabetes mellitus (n = 36) and older adults with diabetes mellitus (n = 36). All subjects completed all directions of the MDRT. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in MDRT scores in all directions between the two groups (p>0.05). Both groups achieved the highest MDRT scores in the forward direction. In contrast, the two groups had the lowest scores of MDRT in a backward direction. Furthermore, older adults with diabetes mellitus had lower MDRT scores in all directions than older adults without diabetes mellitus. CONCLUSION: The current study indicated that MDRT could be used to investigate the ability of balance in individuals with diabetes mellitus.

The Different Body Mass Index Does Not Impact Physical Health in Older Adults without Sedentary Behavior: A Cross-Sectional Study.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare and determine the correlation of BMI on physical health, including muscle strength, balance, and cardiorespiratory fitness in older adults without sedentary behavior. METHODS: A total of 65 older adults without sedentary behavior were recruited and divided into 3 groups on the basis of body mass index (BMI): normal weight (n= 22/group), overweight (n= 22/- group), and obese (n= 21/group). All the older adults were evaluated for upper limb muscle strength using the handgrip strength test, lower limb muscle strength using the sit-to-stand (STS10) test, balance ability using the time up and go (TUG) test, and cardiorespiratory fitness using the 6-minute walk test (6MWT). RESULTS: The handgrip strength test, STS10 test, and distance of 6MWT showed no difference among the groups (p> 0.05). However, overweight group had a significantly longer duration for the TUG test when compared to normal weight, while obese group had a significantly longer duration for the TUG test when compared with overweight and normal weight groups (p< 0.01). In addition, BMI was positively correlated with the duration of the TUG test. Whereas, the handgrip strength test, STS10 test, and distance of 6MWT were not correlated with BMI. CONCLUSION: The BMI does not impact upper and lower limb muscle strength or the cardiorespiratory fitness test, except for the ability to balance in older adults without sedentary behavior.

Balance Ability and Quality of Life in Older Adult with Recovery from Mild COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we aimed to assess the ability to balance and quality of life (QoL) among older adults without a history of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and those who had recovered from mild COVID-19. METHODS: We recruited 80 older adults and categorized them into the following two groups based on their history of COVID-19: those without COVID-19 (n=40) and those who had recovered from mild COVID-19 (n=40). We assessed the participants' ability to balance using the multi-directional reach test and timed up and go (TUG) test, and evaluated their QoL using the Short Form-36. RESULTS: Compared with older adults without a history of COVID-19, those who had recovered from mild COVID-19 demonstrated no differences in the scores of the forward, backward, right, and left directions (p>0.05), but a significantly longer duration for the TUG test (p=0.02) and a reduced QoL. CONCLUSION: Our study results demonstrated decreased ability to balance and poor QoL among older adults who had recovered from mild COVID-19.

Impacts of surgical mask wearing on cardiopulmonary fitness using a six-minute walk test among older adults with hypertension.

Background: This study aims to investigate the impacts of surgical mask wearing on cardiopulmonary fitness using a six-minute walk test (6MWT) among older adults with hypertension. Methods: The 45 older adults with hypertension volunteers were recruited and randomized into a no mask wearing condition and a surgical mask wearing condition. All volunteers were investigated through submaximal exercise testing using a 6MWT. Cardiopulmonary parameters were measured before and after performing a 6MWT. Results: The results indicate post performance on the 6MWT for both the with and without surgical mask conditions significantly increased systolic blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation (SpO2) when compared to before performing a 6MWT. However, surgical masks resulted in no differences to systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, SpO2, and 6MWT distance when compared to no masks. In contrast, the surgical mask condition significantly increased perceived exertion when compared with the no mask condition (p < 0.05). Conclusion: This study indicates that surgical masks did not have an impact on cardiopulmonary fitness in older adults with hypertension.

Effects of Wearing Face Masks on Cardiorespiratory Parameters at Rest and after Performing the Six-Minute Walk Test in Older Adults.

The effects of wearing cloth masks and surgical masks were investigated on respiratory rate, heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation and perceived exertion at rest and after performing a six-minute walk test (6MWT) in older adults. Forty older adults were recruited and randomized into six groups including wearing no mask, cloth masks and surgical masks, at rest and during the 6MWT. At rest, all subjects sat quietly wearing no mask, a cloth mask or a surgical mask. All subjects performed a 6MWT by walking as fast as possible without running while wearing no mask, a cloth mask or a surgical mask. Respiratory rate, heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation and perceived exertion were assessed before and after the rest and the 6MWT. Results showed that cloth masks and surgical masks did not impact cardiorespiratory parameters at rest or after performing a 6MWT, while an increase in perceived exertion was apparent in the groups wearing surgical masks and cloth masks after performing the 6MWT (p < 0.01). Cloth masks and surgical masks did not have an impact on cardiorespiratory fitness at rest and after performing the 6MWT in older adults.