Baratto C; Caravita S; Faini A; Perego GB; Senni M;Badano LP; Parati G;
Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985) [J Appl Physiol (1985)] 2021 Mar 25. Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 Mar 25.
Background: Survivors from COVID-19 pneumonia can present with persisting multisystem involvement (lung, pulmonary vessels, heart, muscle, red blood cells) that may negatively affect exercise capacity.
Methods: We sought to determine the extent and the determinants of exercise limitation in COVID-19 patients at the time of hospital discharge.
Results: Eighteen consecutive patients with COVID-19 and 1:1 age-, sex-, and body mass index- matched controls underwent: spirometry, echocardiography, cardiopulmonary exercise test and exercise echocardiography for the study of pulmonary circulation. Arterial blood was sampled at rest and during exercise in COVID-19 patients. COVID-19 patients lie roughly on the same oxygen consumption isophlets than controls both at rest and during submaximal exercise, thanks to supernormal cardiac output (p<0.05). Oxygen consumption at peak exercise was reduced by 30% in COVID-19 (p<0.001), due to a peripheral extraction limit. Additionally, within COVID-19 patients, hemoglobin content was associated with peak oxygen consumption (R 2 =0.46, p=0.002)Respiratory reserve was not exhausted (median [IRQ], 0.59 [0.15]) in spite of moderate reduction of forced vital capacity (79±40%)Pulmonary artery pressure increase during exercise was not different between patients and controls. Ventilatory equivalents for carbon dioxide were higher in COVID-19 patients than in controls (39.5 [8.5] vs 29.5 [8.8], p<0.001), and such an increase was mainly explained by increased chemosensitivity.
Conclusions: When recovering from COVID-19, patients present with reduced exercise capacity and augmented exercise hyperventilation. Peripheral factors, including anemia and reduced oxygen extraction by peripheral muscles were the major determinants of deranged exercise physiology. Pulmonary vascular function seemed unaffected, despite restrictive lung changes.