Lacavalerie MR; Pierre-Francois S; Agossou M; Inamo J; Cabie A; Barnay JL;
Neviere R

Future Cardiology. 18(7):577-584, 2022 Jul.

Abstract
Aim: To analyze the impact of obesity on cardiopulmonary response to
exercise in people with chronic post-COVID-19 syndrome. Patients &
methods: Consecutive subjects with chronic post-COVID syndrome 6 months
after nonsevere acute infection were included. All patients received a
complete clinical evaluation, lung function tests and cardiopulmonary
exercise testing. A total of 51 consecutive patients diagnosed with
chronic post-COVID-19 were enrolled in this study.
Results:
More than half of patients with chronic post-COVID-19 had a significant alteration in
aerobic exercise capacity (VO2peak) 6 months after hospital discharge.
Obese long-COVID-19 patients also displayed a marked reduction of oxygen
pulse (O2pulse).
Conclusion: Obese patients were more prone to have pathological pulmonary limitation
and pulmonary gas exchange impairment to
exercise compared with nonobese COVID-19 patients.
Other Abstract
plain-language-summary In this study, the cardiopulmonary response to
exercise in people with chronic post-COVID-19 syndrome was analyzed. More
than half of patients diagnosed with chronic post-COVID-19 had reduced
exercise capacity 6 months after hospital discharge. In addition, patients
with chronic post-COVID-19 syndrome who were overweight or obese displayed
exaggerated hyperventilation along with an impairment of oxygenation at
peak exercise.