Physical Activity Modifies the Severity of COVID-19 in Hospitalized Patients-Observational Study

• Published in: Journal of clinical medicine 2023-06, Vol.12 (12), p.4046
• Main Authors: Sutkowska, Edyta, Stanek, Agata, Madziarska, Katarzyna, Jakubiak, Grzegorz K, Sokołowski, Janusz, Madziarski, Marcin, Sutkowska-Stępień, Karolina, Biernat, Karolina, Mazurek, Justyna, Borowkow-Bulek, Adrianna, Czyżewski, Jakub, Wilk, Gabriela, Jagasyk, Arkadiusz, Marciniak, Dominik
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Clinical medicine; COVID-19; Exercise; Health aspects; Hospital patients; Hospitalization; Hospitals; Immune system; Infections; Medical personnel; Medical prognosis; Observational studies; Patients; Physiological aspects; Questionnaires; Rehabilitation; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Surveys
• ISSN: 2077-0383; 2077-0383
• DOI: 10.3390/jcm12124046

Physical activity (PA) can modulate the immune response, but its impact on infectious disease severity is unknown. We assess if the PA level impacts the severity of COVID-19. Prospective, cohort study for adults hospitalized due to COVID-19, who filled out the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Disease severity was expressed as death, transfer to intensive care unit (ICU), oxygen therapy (OxTh), hospitalization length, complications, C-reactive protein, and procalcitonin level. Out of 326 individuals, 131 (57; 43.51% women) were analyzed: age: median-70; range: 20-95; BMI: mean-27.18 kg/m²; and SD: ±4.77. During hospitalization: 117 (83.31%) individuals recovered, nine (6.87%) were transferred to ICU, five (3.82%) died, and 83 (63.36%) needed OxTh. The median for the hospital stay was 11 (range: 3-49) for discharged patients, and mean hospitalization length was 14 (SD: ±5.8312) for deaths and 14.22 days (SD: ±6.92) for ICU-transferred patients. The median for MET-min/week was 660 (range: 0-19,200). Sufficient or high PA was found in recovered patients but insufficient PA was observed in dead or ICU-transferred patients ( = 0.03). The individuals with poor PA had a higher risk of death (HR = 2.63; ±95%CI 0.58-11.93; = 0.037). OxTh was used more often in the less active individuals ( = 0.03). The principal component analysis confirmed a relationship between insufficient PA and an unfavorable course of the disease. A higher level of PA is associated with a milder course of COVID-19.