Evaluation of exercise capacity, peripheral muscle strength, balance, cognitive status and quality of life in patients with COVİD-19 in LONG TERM

Evidence points to a severe and often fatal multisystemic disease in COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease). The limited data of COVID-19 available have shown impairment in pulmonary and physical function, cognitive status, poor quality of life, and emotional problems. This study aimed to compare exercise capacity, peripheral muscle strength, balance, cognitive status, and quality of life of individuals who have had COVID-19 infection with those who have not yet had COVID-19 infection. Twenty individuals with COVID-19 infection and 20 age-sex-matched healthy individuals participated in the study. The physical and demographic characteristics of the individuals were recorded. Exercise capacity was evaluated with the Incremental Shuttle Walk Test (ISWT), and balance was evaluated with the Timed Up and Go Test (TUG). For peripheral muscle strength, hand grip strength was measured with a Jamar hand dynamometer, and quadriceps muscle strength was evaluated. Quality of life of the participants with the SF-36 Short Form questionnaire, cognitive status with the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ), perception of fatigue with the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), fears of movement with the Tampa Kinesiophobia Scale (TKS), pain states with the McGill Pain Questionnaire, psychosocial states Perception of dyspnea was assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale (mMRC). As a result of the study, AHMYT distance and quality of life of individuals with COVID-19 infection were lower than the healthy group (p<0,05). The anxiety level, fatigue severity, pain level, perception of shortness of breath in daily life, and fear of movement were higher in the COVID-19 group than in the healthy group (p<0,05). Long-term cognitive status, peripheral muscle strength and balance of individuals with COVID-19 infection were similar to the healthy group (p>0,05). Pulmonary rehabilitation programs should be planned in a multidisciplinary approach towards pain, exercise capacity, quality of life, fatigue severity, fear of movement and shortness of breath perception, and psychosocial conditions in the long term after COVID-19 infection.