Table 2 Cardiopulmonary exercise test data in 193 patients with post COVID syndrome

Age (years)

53.8 ± 13.1

63.1 ± 16.1*

61.6 ± 13.2

54.1 ± 14.9*

58.8 ± 15.6

54.1 ± 13.2^#

59.0 ± 14.8

54.1 ± 13.6^#

Gender (males)

37 (67%)

73 (51%)

29 (57%)

52 (53%)

39 (52%)

70 (59%)

34 (54%)

66 (58)

BMI (kg/m²)

25.5 ± 3.8

25.9 ± 4.2

27.3 ± 3.9

25.1 ± 3.8*

26.5 ± 4.6

25.2 ± 3.6^#

26.4 ± 4.6

25.3 ± 3.8

Ramp protocol (Watt/min)

12.6 ± 4.5

13.9 ± 4.7

12.7 ± 4.5

13.7 ± 4.5

12.4 ± 4. 38

14.3 ± 4.8*

13.4 ± 4.1

13.9 ± 4.9

Peak HR (bpm)

127 ± 27

145 ± 26*

131 ± 28

143 ± 27^#

133 ± 29

145 ± 25*

131 ± 28

146 ± 25*

Respiratory exchange ratio

1.08 [1.03–1.16]

1.08 [1.04–1.13]

1.07 [1.03–1.14]

1.08 [1.04–1.12]

1.08 [1.02–1.14]

1.09 [1.05–1.13]

1.07 [1.02–1.13]

1.09 [1.05–1.14]

Peak power (Watt)

104 [84–158]

132[97–165^§]

112 [85–156]

124 [88–169]

112 [82–147]

136 [99–177]*

130 [97–165]

130 [96–165]

Peak VO₂ (mL/min/kg)

19.3 ± 5.9

22.3 ± 6.3*

19.6 ± 5.4

22.0 ± 6.1^#

19.1 ± 5.5

23.4 ± 6.4*

20.0 ± 5.4

23.0 ± 6.7*

Peak VO₂ (% pred)

73.0 ± 17.33

83.5 ± 17.9*

80.6 ± 17.6

80.7 ± 18.6

76.3 ± 18.3

84.1 ± 18.3

78.1 ± 18.7

83.4 ± 18.0

VO₂/work (mL/min/Watt)

9.6 ± 1.2

9.9 ± 1.3

9.8 ± 1.4

9.8 ± 1.3

9.7 ± 1.3

9.9 ± 1.3

9.6 ± 1.1

9.9 ± 1.4

VE intercept (L/min)

3.15 ± 2.55

3.38 ± 2.59

3.63 ± 2.82

3.06 ± 2.41

3.31 ± 2.97

3.42 ± 2.55

3.91 ± 3.02

3.25 ± 2.53

VE/VCO₂ slope

31.8 [28.6–35.2]

29.3 [25.8–31.6]*

29.7 [27.3–32.5]

29.6 [25.9–32.3]

30.8 [26.3–34.6]

29.1 [25.8–31.3]*

30.1 [25.4–34.6]

29.4 [26.0–31.6]

VO₂/HR (mL/beat)

11.3 [9.4–13.7]

11.0 [8.6–13.8]*

11.8 [9.3–13.7]

10.4 [8.5–13.7]

10.5 [8.6–12.1]

11.7 [9.3–14.0]^#

11.4 [9.5–13.8]

11.3 [8.7–13.8]

VO₂/HR (% pred)

97.6 ± 19.5

99.4 ± 18.3

99 [87.5–112]

99.5 [86–110]

94 [83–106]

101 [89–115]

97.5 [86–111]

100 [87–112]

AT VO2 (mL/min/kg)

11.6 [9.9–15.4]

13.4 [11.6–16.6]^#

12.2 [11.2–14.1]

13.8 [11.5–16.7]^#

11.9 [9.6–14.6]

14.0 [11.8–17.1]*

12.8 [10.4–15.3]

13.8 [11.4–17.2]^#

Rest SpO₂ (%)

97.0 ± 1.5

97.4 ± 1.3

97.1 ± 1.3

97.4 ± 1.4

97.2 ± 1.3

97.3 ± 1.4

97.12 ± 1.4

97.4 ± 1.3

Peak SpO₂ (%)

96.8 ± 2.1

97.1 ± 1.6

96.8 ± 2.0

97.1 ± 1.4

96.5 ± 2.1

97.4 ± 1.2*

96.6 ± 2.0

97.3 ± 1.2*

Peak VE (L/min)

58.4 [46.7–70.9]

57.6 [46.4–70.9]

57.4 [50.0–69.0]

57.4 [43.9–70.4]

55.2 [43.9–66.5]

62.9 [49.0 -76.1]^#

57.3 [50.2–75.8]

59.3 [46.1–72.0]

Peak RR (breath/min)

33.7 ± 7.3

32.2 ± 7.0

33.5 ± 7.2

31.9 ± 6.7

32.4 ± 6.7

32.7 ± 7.3

31.7 ± 7.1

32.9 ± 6.9

VT (L)

1.7 [1.4–2.4]

1.8 [1.5–2.4]

1.8 [1.5–2.2]

1.8 [1.4–2.3]

1.7 [1.4–2.1]

1.9 [1.5–2.5]^#

1.9 [1.6–2.4]

1.8 [1.5–2.4]

Breathing Reserve (%)

48.76 ± 14.24

50.63 ± 11.79

46.91 ± 15.88

51.52 ± 10.99^#

50.25 ± 13.38

49.97 ± 11.93

50.88 ± 13.2

50.34 ± 11.33

peak SBP (mmHg)

183 ± 30

193 ± 28§

192 ± 28

188 ± 31

187 ± 28

192 ± 30

187 ± 28

193 ± 30