Cardiorespiratory impact of COVID-19 in young adults: A propensity score-weighted cohort study
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns regarding persisting cardiorespiratory effects in young adults. This study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on cardiopulmonary function in this population. Methods: This investigation, using data from the LoCoMo study, evaluated young recru...
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| Format: | Article |
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Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | New Microbes and New Infections |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S205229752500037X |
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| author | Thibault Lovey Nejla Gültekin Zeno Stanga Andreas Stettbacher Jeremy Werner Deuel Patricia Schlagenhauf |
| author_facet | Thibault Lovey Nejla Gültekin Zeno Stanga Andreas Stettbacher Jeremy Werner Deuel Patricia Schlagenhauf |
| author_sort | Thibault Lovey |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns regarding persisting cardiorespiratory effects in young adults. This study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on cardiopulmonary function in this population. Methods: This investigation, using data from the LoCoMo study, evaluated young recruits from the Swiss Armed Forces, aged 18–30 years. Participants were categorized based on their SARS-CoV-2 infection status and underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), spirometry, and diffusion capacity tests (DLCO). Propensity score weighting adjusted for confounding factors compared key outcomes between the control and COVID-19 groups. Finding: We evaluated 242 participants in the control group and 240 in the COVID-19 group. The propensity score-weighted analysis showed no significant differences in most CPET and pulmonary outcomes. The COVID-19 group exhibited a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (SBP) at peak exercise by 7.68 mmHg (p = 0.001), more pronounced in recent cases (<6 months, 14.60 mmHg, p = 0.002) and persisting after infection in non-recent cases (>6 months, 9.07 mmHg, p = <0.001). There was an increase in V'Epeak [% predicted MVV] by 2.92 % in the COVID-19 group, notably in the “non-recent” subgroup who had been infected more than 6 months previously (p = 0.003). Interpretation: Young adults can exhibit persisting cardiopulmonary effects post-COVID-19, including reduced systolic blood pressure at peak exercise and increased ventilatory response, likely due to deconditioning and muscle weakness. These findings underscore the importance of maintaining physical activity during recovery to mitigate these effects. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cd83e6e1f4af4687be8f12272e144398 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2052-2975 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
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| series | New Microbes and New Infections |
| spelling | doaj-art-cd83e6e1f4af4687be8f12272e1443982025-08-20T03:44:55ZengElsevierNew Microbes and New Infections2052-29752025-06-016510159810.1016/j.nmni.2025.101598Cardiorespiratory impact of COVID-19 in young adults: A propensity score-weighted cohort studyThibault Lovey0Nejla Gültekin1Zeno Stanga2Andreas Stettbacher3Jeremy Werner Deuel4Patricia Schlagenhauf5University of Zürich, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, Hirschengraben 84, 8001, Zürich, Switzerland; Corresponding author. University of Zürich, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, Hirschengraben 84, 8001, Zürich, Switzerland.Medical Services, Centre of Competence for Military and Disaster Medicine, Swiss Armed Forces, Bern, SwitzerlandMedical Services, Centre of Competence for Military and Disaster Medicine, Swiss Armed Forces, Bern, SwitzerlandMedical Services, Centre of Competence for Military and Disaster Medicine, Swiss Armed Forces, Bern, SwitzerlandUniversity of Zürich, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, Hirschengraben 84, 8001, Zürich, Switzerland; University of Zürich, Division of Medical Oncology and Haematology, Zürich, SwitzerlandUniversity of Zürich, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, Hirschengraben 84, 8001, Zürich, Switzerland; WHO Collaborating Centre for Travellers' Health, Department of Global and Public Health, MilMedBiol Competence Centre, University of Zürich, Hirschengraben 84, 8001, Zürich, SwitzerlandBackground: The COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns regarding persisting cardiorespiratory effects in young adults. This study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on cardiopulmonary function in this population. Methods: This investigation, using data from the LoCoMo study, evaluated young recruits from the Swiss Armed Forces, aged 18–30 years. Participants were categorized based on their SARS-CoV-2 infection status and underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), spirometry, and diffusion capacity tests (DLCO). Propensity score weighting adjusted for confounding factors compared key outcomes between the control and COVID-19 groups. Finding: We evaluated 242 participants in the control group and 240 in the COVID-19 group. The propensity score-weighted analysis showed no significant differences in most CPET and pulmonary outcomes. The COVID-19 group exhibited a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (SBP) at peak exercise by 7.68 mmHg (p = 0.001), more pronounced in recent cases (<6 months, 14.60 mmHg, p = 0.002) and persisting after infection in non-recent cases (>6 months, 9.07 mmHg, p = <0.001). There was an increase in V'Epeak [% predicted MVV] by 2.92 % in the COVID-19 group, notably in the “non-recent” subgroup who had been infected more than 6 months previously (p = 0.003). Interpretation: Young adults can exhibit persisting cardiopulmonary effects post-COVID-19, including reduced systolic blood pressure at peak exercise and increased ventilatory response, likely due to deconditioning and muscle weakness. These findings underscore the importance of maintaining physical activity during recovery to mitigate these effects.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S205229752500037XCOVID-19Post-cute COVID-19 syndromeExercise testRespiratory function testsSpirometryBlood pressure |
| spellingShingle | Thibault Lovey Nejla Gültekin Zeno Stanga Andreas Stettbacher Jeremy Werner Deuel Patricia Schlagenhauf Cardiorespiratory impact of COVID-19 in young adults: A propensity score-weighted cohort study New Microbes and New Infections COVID-19 Post-cute COVID-19 syndrome Exercise test Respiratory function tests Spirometry Blood pressure |
| title | Cardiorespiratory impact of COVID-19 in young adults: A propensity score-weighted cohort study |
| title_full | Cardiorespiratory impact of COVID-19 in young adults: A propensity score-weighted cohort study |
| title_fullStr | Cardiorespiratory impact of COVID-19 in young adults: A propensity score-weighted cohort study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cardiorespiratory impact of COVID-19 in young adults: A propensity score-weighted cohort study |
| title_short | Cardiorespiratory impact of COVID-19 in young adults: A propensity score-weighted cohort study |
| title_sort | cardiorespiratory impact of covid 19 in young adults a propensity score weighted cohort study |
| topic | COVID-19 Post-cute COVID-19 syndrome Exercise test Respiratory function tests Spirometry Blood pressure |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S205229752500037X |
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