Post-COVID-19 syndrome and obesity: findings in a sample referred for pulmonary rehabilitation

Abstract Introduction: Post-COVID-19 condition refers to persistent symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Objective: Investigate the profile of patients with post-COVID-19 condition, classified as obese and non-obese according to body mass index (BMI), and determine whether obe-se individuals present with worse clinical and functional status. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study with adults of both sexes who have a history of hospitalization for SARS-CoV-2 infection and post-COVID-19 condition, referred for pulmonary rehabilitation between August 2020 and October 2022. The data were obtained from physiotherapy assessments. Participants were classified as obese or non-obese, and evaluated in terms of their health history, length of hospital stay, dyspnea during activities of daily living (ADLs), and respiratory muscle strength. Results: A total of 54 individuals participated in the study, mostly women, with an average age of 55 years. The majority were obese (75.9%), sedentary, white, and worked in retail or civil construction. There was no association between obesity and the variables hypertension (p = 0.057), diabetes (p = 0.113), dyspnea (p = 0.368), or fatigue (p = 0.750). Length of hospital stay (p = 0.592), days in the intensive care unit (p = 0.478), days on invasive mechanical ventilation (0.075), modified Medical Research Council scale - mMRC (p = 0.633), and maximum inspiratory (p = 0.625) and expiratory pressure (p = 0.967) were not influenced by obesity. Conclusion: Although participants with obesity were more likely to require pulmonary rehabilitation due to post-COVID-19 condition, they did not exhibit worse clinical and functional status on assessment of health history, length of hospital stay, dyspnea in activities of daily living, and respiratory muscle strength.