Key result
Mild COVID-19 infection in endurance athletes significantly reduced oxygen uptake at the anaerobic threshold from 34.97 to 32.35 ml/kg/min and maximal oxygen uptake from 47.81 to 44.97 ml/kg/min.
Why the study?
Knowledge about the consequences of mild COVID-19 on cardiopulmonary and physiologic parameters remained inconclusive.
Does mild COVID-19 infection reduce cardiopulmonary exercise test performance in endurance athletes?
Observational (n=49)
No
Does mild COVID-19 infection reduce cardiopulmonary exercise test performance in endurance athletes?
Absolute Event Rate: 32.35% vs 34.97%
p-value: p=<0.001
Even mild COVID-19 infection leads to a significant decrease in submaximal cardiopulmonary exercise performance (VO2 and heart rate) in endurance athletes.
May warrant cautious return-to-play assessment in endurance athletes; leaves open durability of effects and need for confirmatory trials.
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and imposed restrictions influenced athletic societies, although current knowledge about mild COVID-19 consequences on cardiopulmonary and physiologic parameters remains inconclusive. This study aimed to assess the impact of mild COVID-19 inflection on cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) performance among endurance athletes (EA) with varied fitness level. Materials and Methods: 49 EA (n male = 43, n female = 6, mean age = 39.94 ± 7.80 yr, height = 178.45 cm, weight = 76.62 kg; BMI = 24.03 kgm −2 ) underwent double treadmill or cycle ergometer CPET and body analysis (BA) pre- and post-mild COVID-19 infection. Mild infection was defined as: (1) without hospitalization and (2) without prolonged health complications lasting for >14 days. Speed, power, heart rate (HR), oxygen uptake (VO 2 ), pulmonary ventilation, blood lactate concentration (at the anaerobic threshold (AT)), respiratory compensation point (RCP), and maximum exertion were measured before and after COVID-19 infection. Pearson’s and Spearman’s r correlation coefficients and Student t-test were applied to assess relationship between physiologic or exercise variables and time. Results: The anthropometric measurements did not differ significantly before and after COVID-19. There was a significant reduction in VO 2 at the AT and RCP (both p < 0.001). Pre-COVID-19 VO 2 was 34.97 ± 6.43 ml kg·min −1 , 43.88 ± 7.31 ml kg·min −1 and 47.81 ± 7.81 ml kg·min −1 respectively for AT, RCP and maximal and post-COVID-19 VO 2 was 32.35 ± 5.93 ml kg·min −1 , 40.49 ± 6.63 ml kg·min −1 and 44.97 ± 7.00 ml kg·min −1 respectively for AT, RCP and maximal. Differences of HR at AT ( p < 0.001) and RCP ( p < 0.001) was observed. The HR before infection was 145.08 ± 10.82 bpm for AT and 168.78 ± 9.01 bpm for RCP and HR after infection was 141.12 ± 9.99 bpm for AT and 165.14 ± 9.74 bpm for RCP. Time-adjusted measures showed significance for body fat (r = 0.46, p < 0.001), fat mass (r = 0.33, p = 0.020), cycling power at the AT (r = −0.29, p = 0.045), and HR at RCP (r = −0.30, p = 0.036). Conclusion: A mild COVID-19 infection resulted in a decrease in EA’s CPET performance. The most significant changes were observed for VO 2 and HR. Medical Professionals and Training Specialists should be aware of the consequences of a mild COVID-19 infection in order to recommend optimal therapeutic methods and properly adjust the intensity of training.
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Śliż et al. (2022) conducted an observational in Mild COVID-19 (n=49). Mild COVID-19 infection vs. Pre-COVID-19 baseline was evaluated on Oxygen uptake (VO2) at the anaerobic threshold (ml/kg/min) (p=<0.001). Mild COVID-19 infection in endurance athletes significantly reduced oxygen uptake at the anaerobic threshold from 34.97 to 32.35 ml/kg/min and maximal oxygen uptake from 47.81 to 44.97 ml/kg/min.
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