Examination of Functional Capacity, Pulmonary Functions, Pain, Depression, Sleep and Quality of Life in Young Adults After COVID-19: A Descriptive Observational Study

Year 2025, Volume: 15 Issue: 6, 291 - 300, 30.11.2025

Nazlı Güngör Eroğlu , Seçil Özkurt , Gökşen Kuran Aslan

https://doi.org/10.16899/jcm.1779158

Abstract

Aim: This study aims to reveal whether COVID-19 affects functional capacity, pulmonary functions, pain, depression, sleep, and quality of life in healthy young adults.

Methods: The present study was conducted with 52 participants consisting of post-COVID-19 pneumonia (n=26) and healthy adults (n=26). Outcome measurements included the 6-minute walk test, spirometry (FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC, MVV), the visual analog scale, algometer, and hand-held dynamometer as well as questionnaires including Beck depression inventory, Pittsburgh sleep quality index, Short Form-36, International Physical Activity Questionnaire, Fatigue severity scale, and Corbin posture scale.

Results: According to the comparisons between the groups, there were no statistically significant differences in functional capacity (p=0.350), pulmonary function parameters including FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC and MVV (p=0.660; p=0.226; p=0.589; p=0.511 respectively), pain intensity (p=0.467) and pressure pain threshold at three different points (upper part of m. trapezius, m. tibialis anterior, and mm. interossei dorsales of the hand) (p=0.305; p=1.000; p=0.103 respectively), depression (p=0.119), sleep quality (p=0.267), subdomains of quality of life (p=0.873; p=0.056; p=0.308; p=0.632; p=0.251; p=0.290; p=0.560; p=0.671), upper extremity, lower extremity, and grip strength (p=0.097; p=0.228; p=0.117 respectively), fatigue (p=0.873), and posture (p=0.933) between the infected and the non-infected group. Most participants in both the infected and the non-infected groups were sufficiently active (38.5% and 46.2%, respectively; p=0.481).

Conclusion: There were no significant differences in physical, mental, or social health between groups when comparing post-COVID-19 pneumonia with mild functional limitation to healthy young adults. The current study suggests that there are no long-term effects of COVID-19 on this cohort.

Keywords

COVID-19 , Functional status , Pain , Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome , Respiratory function tests

Ethical Statement

All participants provided written informed consent to participate in the study according to the Declaration of Helsinki. Ethics committee approval was provided with a 2/2021.K-87 protocol number from a local university. This study was registered in clinicaltrials.gov (NCT05282043).

Supporting Institution

This study has been funded by Istanbul Arel University Scientific Research Projects Commission with 2019-ST09 project number. N.G. was supported by TUBITAK BIDEB 2211/A National PhD Scholarship Program.

Project Number

Istanbul Arel University Scientific Research Projects Commission with 2019-ST09 project number

Thanks

We would like to thank Muhammed Yurtseven (Istanbul Gelişim University, Istanbul, Turkey) for providing statistical support.

COVID-19 Sonrası Genç Erişkinlerde Fonksiyonel Kapasite, Solunum Fonksiyonları, Ağrı, Depresyon, Uyku ve Yaşam Kalitesinin İncelenmesi: Tanımlayıcı Gözlemsel Bir Çalışma

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı COVID-19'un sağlıklı genç erişkinlerde fonksiyonel kapasite, solunum, ağrı, depresyon, uyku ve yaşam kalitesini etkileyip etkilemediğini ortaya koymaktır.

Gereç ve Yöntem: Mevcut çalışma, COVID-19 sonrası pnömoni (n=26) ve sağlıklı yetişkinlerden (n=26) oluşan 52 katılımcı ile yürütüldü. Değerlendirmeler; 6-dakika yürüme testi, spirometri (FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC, MVV), görsel analog skala, algometre, taşınabilir dinamometre ölçümlerinin yanı sıra Beck depresyon envanteri, Pittsburgh uyku kalite indeksi, Kısa Form-36, Uluslararası Fiziksel Aktivite Anketi, yorgunluk şiddet skalası, Corbin postür skalası ölçeklerinden oluşuyordu.

Bulgular: Gruplar arası karşılaştırmalara göre enfekte grup ile enfekte olmayan grup arasında fonksiyonel kapasite (p=0,350), FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC ve MVV'yi içeren akciğer fonksiyonu parametreleri (sırasıyla p=0.660; p=0.226; p=0,589; p=0,511), ağrı yoğunluğu (p=0,467) ve üç farklı noktada (m. trapezius'un üst parçası, m. tibialis anterior ve elde mm. interossei dorsales) basınç ağrı eşiği (sırasıyla p=0,305; p=1,000; p=0,103), depresyon (p=0,119), uyku kalitesi (p=0,267), yaşam kalitesinin alt boyutları (p=0,873; p=0,056; p=0,308; p=0,632; p=0,251; p=0,290; p=0,560; p=0,671), üst ekstremite, alt ekstremite ve kavrama gücü (sırasıyla p=0,097; p=0,228; p=0,117), yorgunluk (p=0,873) ve postür (p=0,933) açısından anlamlı fark bulunmamıştır. Grupların fiziksel aktivite düzeyleri göz önüne alındığında hem enfekte hem de enfekte olmayan grupta katılımcıların çoğu minimal aktifti (sırasıyla %38,5 ve %46,2; p=0,481).

Sonuçlar: Hafif fonksiyonel limitasyonu olan COVID-19 sonrası pnömoni ile sağlıklı genç yetişkinler karşılaştırıldığında fiziksel, ruhsal ve sosyal sağlık açısından gruplar arasında anlamlı bir fark görülmemiştir. Mevcut çalışma, COVID-19'un bu kohort üzerinde uzun vadeli bir etkisinin olmadığını göstermektedir.

Keywords

Ağrı , COVID-19 , Fonksiyonel durum , Post-akut COVID-19 sendromu , Solunum fonksiyon testleri

Ethical Statement

Tüm katılımcılar Helsinki Bildirgesi'ne uygun olarak çalışmaya katılmak için yazılı onam verdiler. Yerel bir üniversiteden 2/2021.K-87 protokol numarasıyla etik kurul onayı alındı. Bu çalışma clinicaltrials.gov'a (NCT05282043) kaydedildi.

Supporting Institution

Bu çalışma İstanbul Arel Üniversitesi Bilimsel Araştırma Projeleri Komisyonu tarafından 2019-ST09 proje numarasıyla desteklenmiştir. N.G., TÜBİTAK BIDEB 2211/A Yurt İçi Doktora Burs Programı kapsamında desteklenmiştir.

Project Number

Istanbul Arel University Scientific Research Projects Commission with 2019-ST09 project number

Thanks

İstatistiksel destek sağlayan Muhammed Yurtseven'e (İstanbul Gelişim Üniversitesi, İstanbul, Türkiye) teşekkür ederiz.

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