Comparison of muscle strength, physical activity, mood and sleep quality in patients with recovered from mild and moderate COVID-19

Abstract

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) represents a wide range of clinical manifestations. It has been known that severe COVID-19 has a major effect on health status; however effects of mild and moderate COVID-19 on muscle strength, physical activity, mood and sleep quality in the long-term have not been clear.

Aim: This study aimed to compare muscle strength, physical activity, mood and sleep quality in the patients with COVID-19 who recovered from mild and moderate disease severity.

Methods: Thirty-three COVID-19 patients between the ages of 26 and 55 years were enrolled in this cross-sectional study after three to six months from recovery. The handgrip and quadriceps strength (dynamometer), physical activity (International Physical Activity Questionnaire-IPAQ), mood (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-HADS) and sleep quality (Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index-PSQI) were assessed.

Results: Participants were divided into two groups as mild(n=17) and moderate(n=16) according to disease severity during COVID-19 infection. Age, gender, height, weight and body mass index were similar between the groups (p>0.05). The handgrip strength, quadriceps strength and IPAQ were significantly lower in the moderate group (p=0.03, p=0.04, p=0.02, respectively). HADS-Anxiety, HADS-Depression and PSQI scores were significantly higher in the moderate group (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Our study indicates that muscle strength, physical activity, mood and sleep quality may be adversely affected in patients with recovered from moderate COVID-19 in the long-term. Comprehensive assessment and appropriate intervention strategies should be taken into consideration for these patients.