Slow-Paced Breathing Intervention in Healthcare Workers Affected by Long COVID: Effects on Systemic and Dysfunctional Breathing Symptoms, Manual Dexterity and HRV
Background: Many COVID-19 survivors still experience long-term effects of an acute infection, most often characterised by neurological, cognitive and psychiatric sequelae. The treatment of this condition is challenging, and many hypotheses have been proposed. Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation usi...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-10-01
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| Series: | Biomedicines |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/12/10/2254 |
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| Summary: | Background: Many COVID-19 survivors still experience long-term effects of an acute infection, most often characterised by neurological, cognitive and psychiatric sequelae. The treatment of this condition is challenging, and many hypotheses have been proposed. Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation using slow-paced breathing (SPB) could stimulate both central nervous system areas and parasympathetic autonomic pathways, leading to neuromodulation and a reduction in inflammation. The aim of the present study was to evaluate physical, cognitive, emotional symptoms, executive functions and autonomic cardiac modulation after one month of at-home slow breathing intervention. Methods: 6655 healthcare workers (HCWs) were contacted via a company email in November 2022, of which N = 58 HCWs were enrolled as long COVID (cases) and N = 53 HCWs as controls. A baseline comparison of the two groups was performed. Subsequently each case was instructed on how to perform a resonant SPB using visual heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback. They were then given a mobile video tutorial breathing protocol and asked to perform it three times a day (morning, early afternoon and before sleep). N = 33 cases completed the FU. At T0 and T1, each subject underwent COVID-related, psychosomatic and dysfunctional breathing questionnaires coupled with heart rate variability and manual dexterity assessments. Results: After one month of home intervention, an overall improvement in long-COVID symptoms was observed: confusion/cognitive impairment, chest pain, asthenia, headache and dizziness decreased significantly, while only a small increase in manual dexterity was found, and no relevant changes in cardiac parasympathetic modulation were observed. |
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| ISSN: | 2227-9059 |