Journal Article Ppublish 1 citation
PubMed: 40650463 DOI: 10.1111/sms.70106
Post-COVID-19 Condition in Track and Field Master Athletes: Severity, Symptoms, and Associations With Quality of Life and C-Reactive Protein Levels.
Scand J Med Sci Sports 35(7):e70106
Authors: Boyi Zhang, Marijke Grau, Christian Puta, Daniel Arvidsson, Michael Arz, Jonas Böcker, Philip Chilibeck, Scott C Forbes, Claudia Kaiser-Stolz, Natalie McLaurin, Eri Miyamoto-Mikami, Dominik Pesta, Willi Pustowalow, Hirofumi Tanaka, Jörn Rittweger, Wilhelm Bloch
Affiliations
- Institute of Cardiology and Sports Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
- Department of Sports Medicine and Health Promotion, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany.
- Department for Internal Medicine IV (Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases), Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.
- Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC), Jena University Hospital/Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany.
- Department of Food and Nutrition and Sport Science, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
- Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany.
- College of Kinesiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
- Department of Physical Education Studies, Brandon University, Brandon, Canada.
- Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, USA.
- Faculty of Health and Sports Science, Juntendo University, Inzai, Japan.
- Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Abstract
Here, we assessed the prevalence of post-COVID-condition (PCC, also known as long-COVID) and investigated its associations with health-related quality of life and immune-related biomarkers in track and field masters athletes (MAs). A total of 216 MAs (114 males, 102 females; age: 58.3 ± 11.9 vs. 56.6 ± 11.7 years; BMI: 23.6 [22.2-24.8] vs. 21.3 [20.0-23.6] kg/m 2) reported their post-COVID-conditions via the Post-COVID Syndrome Questionnaire (PCSQ). In a subgroup of 108 MAs, fasting blood samples were collected to assess C-reactive protein (CRP) levels as a biomarker of immune status (MAs-CRP). Based on their PCSQ sum score, MAs were divided into three groups: no/mild, moderate, and severe. Associations between PCC severity and sex, athletic specialty, and competition level were evaluated using Fisher's exact test. Forty-six (21%) MAs were identified with clinically relevant moderate-to-severe post-COVID-19 conditions (PCSQ score > 10.75). The most frequently reported symptoms included musculoskeletal pain (15%), sleep disturbance (13%), sensory or respiratory symptoms (11%), fatigue (11%), and flu-like symptoms (11%). PCC prevalence did not differ by sex, athletic specialties, training load, or prior competition level (all p > 0.05). MAs with moderate-to-severe PCC had significantly lower physical and mental component scores of quality of life compared with those with no or mild symptoms (p < 0.05). In the MAs-CRP subgroup, self-reported cardiac ailments and flu-like symptoms were significantly and positively associated with CRP levels (Spearman ρ = 0.27-0.30, all p < 0.01). Post-COVID-19 condition is associated with reduced quality of life in track and field masters athletes, independent of sex, prior competition levels, and training characteristics. Furthermore, low-grade inflammation based on CRP levels was associated with self-reported cardiac and flu-like symptoms.
MeSH
Quality Of Life, C-Reactive Protein, Athletic Injuries, Biomarkers, Signs And Symptoms, Covid-19, Prevalence, Sports Medicine, Sex, Athletes, Sports, Track And Field, Post-Acute Covid-19 Syndrome