Associação dos sintomas físicos da Covid longa com comportamento de movimento mensurado por acelerômetro e capacidade funcional: um estudo transversal multicêntrico

Abstract

Long COVID is understood as the persistence of negative symptoms after 4 weeks of the onset of COVID-19 infection. Long COVID is associated with lower levels of physical activity and worse physical function. However, it’s unclear which physical symptoms are associated with components of movement behavior and physical function in this population. This study aimed to investigate the association between physical symptoms of long COVID with movement behaviors and physical function in adults. One hundred and two participants with long COVID (age: 47.3 ± 12.8 years; female: 58.8%; Body Mass Index: 29.1 ± 6.0 kg/m2; days in ICU: 15. 9 ± 14.5; long COVID time: 14.8 ± 10.2) were included in this multicenter cross-sectional study. Movement behaviors were assessed by accelerometry over a week. Physical function was assessed by the six-minute walk test, 30-s chair stand test and timed up and go. A physical function score was calculated from these tests. The main results show that there was a negative association between fatigue, malaise after exertion and the number symptoms with steps per day. Malaise after exertion was negatively associated with the level of moderate-vigorous physical activity. Dyspnea was negatively associated with the physical function score. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that fatigue, post-exertional malaise and numbers of symptoms are associated with lower levels of physical activity, while dyspnea is associated with worse physical function in adults with long COVID. These findings may be useful to guide physical rehabilitation programs aimed at people living with long COVID.