Abstract

Introduction: Several patients suffering from prolonged symptoms (> 3 mo) after SARS-CoV-2 infection e.g. sympathetic palpitation, brain fog, or dizziness. We aimed to study patients feeling these symptoms in cardiopulmonary exercise testing in a cohort of long COVID patients. We wanted to determine if the subjective sensations would have explanatory findings in exercise results. Methods: CPET was performed on 95 consecutive patients (mean age 45.1±10.3, range 21-83y) remitted from the more severe end of Helsinki Long-Covid outpatient clinic between August 2021 and December 2022. In the remissions, in addition to the physical condition of the patients also sympathetic palpitation (N=32), dizziness (N= 15), and brain fog (N=21) were given. We combined the exercise test results of these patients and formed a group of 41 patients who had 1-3 of these symptoms (PDB-group). The CPET variables were analyzed using multivariate analysis and adjusted for sex, age, and BMI. Results: The maximal exercise level (Wlast4min 83.5 %) and maximal oxygen uptake (87.2 %) were normal without difference with the non-PDB-group (Wlast4min 87.3 % and 92.2%, correspondingly). The oxygen pulse was lower in the PDB-group (104.4 % vs 117.0 %, p < 0.016 without adjustment). Also, the first ventilatory threshold (VT1) was lower in the PDB-group compared to non-PDB-group (92.0 % vs 102.8 %, p < 0.029 without adjustment), but both disappeared after the adjustment.Conclusions: The mean exercise capacity and oxygen uptake were normal in subjects with palpitation, dizziness, and brain fog. The oxygen pulse and VT1 tended to be lower in those patients suggesting less physical activity after the disease.