Key result
Athletes with mild post-COVID-19 symptoms exhibited significantly increased ventilation at maximal effort (137.1 vs 109.1 L/min) and higher blood lactate levels compared to healthy controls.
Why the study?
COVID-19 significantly affects physiological systems with potential impact on athletic performance, but effects on fitness, respiratory, and metabolic profiles in post-COVID-19 athletes had not been addressed or investigated.
Does mild post-COVID-19 infection increase respiratory and metabolic demands during exercise in athletes?
Cross-Sectional (n=40)
No
Does mild post-COVID-19 infection increase respiratory and metabolic demands during exercise in athletes?
Absolute Event Rate: 137.1% vs 109.1%
p-value: p=<0.001
Athletes with mild post-COVID-19 symptoms exhibit increased respiratory work and metabolic demands during exercise despite preserved maximal oxygen uptake.
May warrant respiratory monitoring in post-COVID athletes; leaves open long-term clinical relevance pending prospective studies.
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has significantly affected different physiological systems, with a potentially profound effect on athletic performance. However, to date, such an effect has been neither addressed nor investigated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate fitness indicators, along with the respiratory and metabolic profile, in post-COVID-19 athletes. Forty male soccer players, were divided into two groups: non-hospitalized COVID-19 (n = 20, Age: 25.2 ± 4.1 years, Body Surface Area [BSA]: 1.9 ± 0.2 m2, body fat: 11.8% ± 3.4%) versus [vs] healthy (n = 20, Age: 25.1 ± 4.4 years, BSA: 2.0 ± 0.3 m2, body fat: 10.8% ± 4.5%). For each athlete, prior to cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), body composition, spirometry, and lactate blood levels, were recorded. Differences between groups were assessed with the independent samples t-test (p < 0.05). Several differences were detected between the two groups: ventilation (V˙E: Resting: 14.7 ± 3.1 L·min−1 vs. 11.5 ± 2.6 L·min−1, p = 0.001; Maximal Effort: 137.1 ± 15.5 L·min−1 vs. 109.1 ± 18.4 L·min−1, p < 0.001), ratio VE/maximal voluntary ventilation (Resting: 7.9% ± 1.8% vs. 5.7% ± 1.7%, p < 0.001; Maximal Effort: 73.7% ± 10.8% vs. 63.1% ± 9.0%, p = 0.002), ratioVE/BSA (Resting: 7.9% ± 2.0% vs. 5.9% ± 1.4%, p = 0.001; Maximal Effort: 73.7% ± 11.1% vs. 66.2% ± 9.2%, p = 0.026), heart rate (Maximal Effort: 191.6 ± 7.8 bpm vs. 196.6 ± 8.6 bpm, p = 0.041), and lactate acid (Resting: 1.8 ± 0.8 mmol·L vs. 0.9 ± 0.1 mmol·L, p < 0.001; Maximal Effort: 11.0 ± 1.6 mmol·L vs. 9.8 ± 1.2 mmol·L, p = 0.009), during CPET. No significant differences were identified regarding maximal oxygen uptake (55.7 ± 4.4 ml·min−1·kg−1 vs. 55.4 ± 4.6 ml·min−1·kg−1, p = 0.831). Our findings demonstrate a pattern of compromised respiratory function in post-COVID-19 athletes characterized by increased respiratory work at both rest and maximum effort as well as hyperventilation during exercise, which may explain the reported increased metabolic needs.
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Stavrou et al. (2022) conducted a cross-sectional in Mild post-COVID-19 (n=40). Mild COVID-19 infection vs. Healthy controls was evaluated on Ventilation at maximal effort (L/min) (p=<0.001). Athletes with mild post-COVID-19 symptoms exhibited significantly increased ventilation at maximal effort (137.1 vs 109.1 L/min) and higher blood lactate levels compared to healthy controls.
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