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Table 2 Comparison of pulmonary function, skeletal muscle parameter and transthoracic echocardiography between patients with a normal and reduced exercise capacity

From: Identification of factors impairing exercise capacity after severe COVID-19 pulmonary infection: a 3-month follow-up of prospective COVulnerability cohort

Parameters

All patients (n = 105)

Normal exercise capacity (n = 68)

Reduced exercise capacity (n = 37)

p-Value

Exercise capacity assessment (CPET)

    

Wrmax, W

116.14 ± 51.67

130.74 ± 53.39

89.32 ± 35.55

0.0002

HRmax, bpm

139.43 ± 25.80

143.51 ± 26.38

131.92 ± 23.21

0.013

Breathing reserve, %

25.49 ± 19.13

21.14 ± 18.38

33.14 ± 18.23

0.009

V'O2max, ml/min

1523.89 ± 552.69

1718.90 ± 540.20

1165.49 ± 368.13

 < 0.0001

V'CO2max, ml/min

1764.03 ± 696.62

1991.90 ± 700.66

1345.24 ± 458.19

 < 0.0001

RER

1.15 ± 0.11

1.15 ± 0.09

1.15 ± 0.13

0.979

V'O2max/BW, ml/min/kg

18.28 ± 5.34

20.15 ± 5.16

14.84 ± 3.75

 < 0.0001

VO2max/kg leg muscle mass (ml/kg leg/min)

86.4 ± 21.8

95.7 ± 18.5

68.5 ± 16

 < 0.0001

Anaerobic threshold %VO2 max predicted

62.7 ± 19.8

71.1 ± 17.4

45.96 ± 12.2

 < 0.0001

Respiratory frequency, breathe/min

38.98 ± 8.87

39.76 ± 8.56

37.55 ± 9.36

0.319

VO2/HR, ml/beat

11.12 ± 3.30

12.18 ± 3.27

9.02 ± 2.17

 < 0.0001

VO2/HR, % predicted

86.32 ± 19.59

96.62 ± 14.69

66.03 ± 9.58

 < 0.0001

Hemoglobin, g/dl

13.57 ± 1.54

13.99 ± 1.39

12.77 ± 1.52

 < 0.0001

6-min walking distance, m

485.18 ± 111.08

494.02 ± 109.47

469.22 ± 113.72

0.285

Pulmonary function

    

FVC, L

3.49 ± 1.11

3.67 ± 1.18

3.17 ± 0.88

0.026

FVC, % predicted

84.90 ± 18.08

90.54 ± 16.69

74.54 ± 15.99

 < 0.0001

FEV1, L

2.78 ± 0.82

2.91 ± 0.83

2.55 ± 0.76

0.030

FEV1, % predicted

87.45 ± 18.62

93.26 ± 16.38

76.76 ± 17.92

 < 0.0001

FEV1/FVC (%)

80 ± 7

81 ± 8

80 ± 7

0.828

TLC, L

5.42 ± 1.24

5.57 ± 1.35

5.13 ± 0.93

0.081

TLC, % predicted

83.70 ± 14.72

87.88 ± 13.79

75.81 ± 13.24

 < 0.0001

DLCO, % predicted

71.27 ± 19.34

74.66 ± 20.48

65.14 ± 15.53

0.015

KCO, %

93.87 ± 17.56

94.79 ± 17.59

92.19 ± 17.62

0.472

PaO2, mmHg

89.04 ± 9.35

87.82 ± 9.68

90.81 (8.7)

0.173

PaCO2, mmHg

37.08 ± 4.97

37.21 ± 2.5

36.84 ± 7.24

0.73

Skeletal muscle mass and function

    

ASMMI, kg/m2

7.85 ± 1.17

8.13 ± 1.19

7.36 ± 0.94

0.001

Sarcopenia (%)

21 (21)

7 (10.9)

14 (38.9)

0.001

Grip test, kg

34.42 ± 10.37

36.33 ± 10.71

31.5 ± 9.27

0.047

Pinch test, kg

6.66 ± 2.17

7.04 ± 2.31

6.07 ± 1.82

0.054

Transthoracic echocardiography

    

CO, L/min

5.71 ± 1.37

5.88 ± 1.44

5.44 ± 1.24

0.182

LVMi, g/m2

84.43 ± 24.5

79.31 ± 18.01

93.43 ± 31.34

0.012

LVEF (2D), %

60.25 ± 6.06

60.31 ± 5.75

60.13 ± 6.64

0.898

Global longitudinal strain, %

− 17.24 ± 2.45

− 17.59 ± 2.39

− 16.66 ± 2.49

0.114

E/A ratio

0.89 ± 0.33

0.90 ± 0.34

0.88 ± 0.32

0.767

E/E' ratio

7.1 ± 2.20

7.10 ± 2.03

7.12 ± 2.56

0.971

E' lateral, cm/s

9.46 ± 3.07

9.54 ± 3.36

9.29 ± 2.44

0.733

LAVi, mL

28.15 ± 9.78

27.82 ± 8.77

28.70 ± 11.39

0.697

RVEDs, cm2

17.43 ± 4.45

16.70 ± 4.34

18.65 ± 4.45

0.077

TAPSE, mm

21.49 ± 3.33

21.74 ± 3.47

21.04 ± 3.05

0.389

S’ wave, cm/s

12.79 ± 2.08

12.72 ± 2.01

12.95 ± 2.26

0.663

TRV, m/s

2.32 ± 0.34

2.30 ± 0.32

2.35 ± 0.37

0.656

systolic PAP, mmHg

25 ± 6.05

24.61 ± 5.65

25.5 ± 6.66

0.646

PAcT, ms

119.7 ± 27.53

125.84 ± 25.95

106.6 ± 27

0.024

RA area, cm2

14.68 ± 4.42

14.35 ± 4.42

15.30 ± 4.44

0.387

  1. Data are presented as mean ± SD. Bold type represents statistical significance. WRmax maximum work rate, V'O2max maximum oxygen uptake, V'CO2max maximum carbon dioxide production, V'O2max/BW maximum oxygen uptake per kg body weight, RER respiratory exchange ratio, HR heart rate, DLCO diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide, FEV1 forced expiratory volume in the first second, FVC forced vital capacity, KCO diffusion coefficient, TCL total lung capacity, PaO2 partial pressure of oxygen assessed by blood gas analysis, PaCO2 partial pressure of carbon dioxide assessed by blood gas analysis, ASMMI appendicular skeletal muscle mass index, PAcT pulmonary acceleration time, CO cardiac output, LVMi left ventricular mass index, LAVi left atrial volume index, RVEDs right ventricular ejection delays, TAPSE tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, TRV tricuspid regurgitation velocity, PAP pulmonary artery pressure, RA right atrium