DETERMINING THE FUNCTIONAL CAPACITY OF COVID-19 SURVIVORS WITH THE TELE-ASSESSMENT METHOD

G. Yilmaz Gokmen¹, D. Durmaz², C. Demir¹, F.N. Yilmaz¹

¹Bandirma Onyedi Eylul University, Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Balikesir, Turkey, ²Bandirma Onyedi Eylul University, Faculty of Medicine, Balikesir, Turkey

Background: After COVID-19 infection, survivors could have short-term and long-term deteriorations in physical performance that affect their daily life.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the functional capacity of hospitalized and non-hospitalized COVID-19 survivors according to time periods (total in 6 months, 1-3 months, and 3-6 months) by video-conferencing.

Methods: 303 COVID-19 survivors (49,30±15,25 years) who were between 1 and 6 months after PCR(+) were included in the study and their functional capacity was assessed with 30-s Chair Stand Test (CST) applied via video-conferencing. Ongoing dyspnea, fatigue, and muscle pain were firstly questioned as yes/no, and then a 0-10 numerical rating scale graded the severity of that symptom.

Results: The mean 30-s CST score of all participants was 15.04±5.80 while the hospitalized group was 16,96±6,13 and the non-hospitalized 14.23 ± 5.47. 30-s CST score of the non-hospitalized group were significantly higher than the hospitalized group(p<0.001). In the non-hospitalized group, the 30-s CST score was statistically higher in the group within 1-3 months after PCR(+) than in the group within 3-6 months (p=0.015). In the hospitalized group, there was no statistically significant difference between the time period groups. In the comparison of hospitalized and non-hospitalized groups within 1-3 months after PCR (+), the 30-s CST score was higher in the non-hospitalized group (p˂0.001). The prevalence and severity of dyspnea, fatigue, and muscle pain were similar in the hospitalized and non-hospitalized groups (p>0.05). Only in the non-hospitalized group, muscle pain severity was significantly higher in the 1-3 months group compared to the 3-6 months group.

Conclusions: In the first 6 months post-COVID-19, there was a serious decrease in the functional capacity of COVID-19 survivors in both hospitalized and non-hospitalized groups was quite low in each time period compared to the normative values that were previously stated in the literature. The severity of the ongoing symptoms in both groups was at least 4/10, so their functional capacity may have decreased.

Implications: The functional capacities of Covid-19 survivors can be determined by tele-assessment and “Long COVID-19” can be prevented by taking them into the rehabilitation program they need.

Funding acknowledgements: None

Keywords:
Post-COVID-19
Functional capacity
Tele-assessment

Topics:
COVID-19
Cardiorespiratory
Community based rehabilitation

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: Bandırma Onyedi Eylül University

Committee: Health Sciences Non-Interventional Ethics Committee

Ethics number: 2020-52