Consumo de oxigênio pulmonar e comportamento autonômico durante atividade funcional em pacientes pós-COVID grave

Abstract

Introduction: Manaus was one of the main epicenters of the pandemic, and even with health control, many patients still suffer from the consequences of the disease. Post-COVID syndrome is multisystemic and its main symptoms are dyspnea, fatigue, decreased functional capacity and deterioration in quality of life. Objective: evaluate the functional capacity of individuals with persistent symptoms after severe COVID-19 infection compared to control individuals without symptomatic COVID or mild COVID. Methods: observational case-control study that evaluated 34 individuals into 2 groups (severe Covid-19 and matched control) regarding functional capacity (6MWT) associated with gas analysis, respiratory function and respiratory muscle strength and quality of life. Statistical analysis was performed using Jamovi, Graphpad Prism and G*Power software, using the T Student and Mann Whitney tests, two-way ANOVA, demonstrated by Pearson's test and regression using the univariate method. Results: the sample characteristics of the groups were paired and only differences were found in relation to the degree of dyspnea according to the mMRC (COVID group = 2, control group = 0). There were no important findings in spirometry or manovacuometry. In the 6-minute walk test, a difference was observed between the values of dyspnea and fatigue at rest. During the test, important chronotropic incompetence was observed for the COVID group, with a greater perception of tiredness, a significant decrease in the distance covered and a low value of V̇O2 and VE, in addition to very low quality of life scores, especially in aspects of functional capacity and physical limitations. Conclusion: individuals who had severe COVID-19 and persist with symptoms have low functional capacity, low gas uptake, chronotropic incompetence and low quality of life.