Effects of Post-COVID-19 on Quadriceps Femoral Muscle-tendon Unit

University of Brasilia

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Healthy Participants; Post-COVID-19

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04961255

CAAE: 45043821.0.0000.8093

Details and patient eligibility

About

The physiological/biomechanical characteristics related to muscle and tendon architecture and their possible relationship with the loss of muscle strength and fatigue in patients who were infected with COVID-19 are totally unknown. The aim of this study is to evaluate inflammatory markers, the isometric maximum voluntary force of the knee extensor torque, muscle fatigue, neuromuscular adaptations, muscle architecture, tendinous properties of quadriceps components, oxygen extraction, and body composition in participants after diagnosis with Covid-19 who had moderate and severe levels of involvement compared to a healthy control group.

Full description

The groups will be composed of participants who had COVID-19, except for the control group, which will be composed of healthy participants who did not have COVID-19. Participants will be divided into: (1) control group, (2) COVID-19 positive participants who had moderate symptoms, (3) COVID-19 positive participants who had severe symptoms. Participants will be recruited from 21 days after the onset of symptoms, the period recommended by the scientific community that the patient no longer transmits severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). After recruitment, 4 evaluations will be carried out over 1 year.

Enrollment: 90 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 80 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Control group:

  • The control group will include healthy participants, aged 18 and 80 years, who had not tested positive for COVID-19.

• COVID-19 positive participants who had moderate symptoms group:

  • Female and male participants, aged between 18 and 80 years, who had Molecular test (RT-PCR) or serological test, which assesses whether the samples are reactive to immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies, positive for COVID-19;
  • Presence of some of the following symptoms, without the need for hospitalization: dry cough, runny nose, sore throat, diffuse body pain, persistent hyperthermia, no hypoxemia.

• COVID-19 positive participants who had severe symptoms group:

  • Female and male participants, aged between 18 and 80 years, who had Molecular test (RT-PCR) or serological test (which assesses whether the samples are reactive to IgM and IgG antibodies) positive for COVID-19;
  • Presence of hypoxemia (peripheral oxygen saturation - SPO2 ≤ 93%) requiring hospitalization with or without intubation, in addition to the symptoms described for the COVID-19 positive participants who had moderate symptoms group.

Exclusion criteria

• Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥ 35 kg/m2;
• Pregnancy;
• Pain, swelling, dermal damage, deformity, or amputation in the regions to be examined;
• Diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, severe heart disease, advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cognitive impairment, chemical dependency, psychiatric illness, or behavioral that makes it difficult to cooperate with the procedures.

Trial design

90 participants in 3 patient groups

Control group

Description:

Healthy individuals will be evaluated only once throughout the study. Inflammatory markers, the isometric maximum voluntary force of knee extensor torque, muscle fatigue, neuromuscular adaptations, muscle architecture, quadriceps tendon properties, peripheral oxygen extraction, and body composition will be evaluated.

COVID-19 positive participants who had moderate symptoms group

Description:

These participants will be evaluated 4 times throughout the study. Baseline 1: This will be performed between 21 to 30 days after the onset of symptoms of COVID-19 infection. Assessment 2: This will be performed between 31 to 90 days after the onset of symptoms of COVID-19 infection. Assessment 3: This will be carried out between 91 and 180 days after the onset of symptoms of COVID-19 infection. Assessment 4: This will be performed between 181 to 360 days after the onset of symptoms of COVID-19 infection. Inflammatory markers, the isometric maximum voluntary force of knee extensor torque, muscle fatigue, neuromuscular adaptations, muscle architecture, quadriceps tendon properties, peripheral oxygen extraction, and body composition will be evaluated in each assessment.

COVID-19 positive participants who had severe symptoms group

Description:

These participants will be evaluated 4 times throughout the study. Baseline 1: This will be performed between 21 to 30 days after the onset of symptoms of COVID-19 infection. Assessment 2: This will be performed between 31 to 90 days after the onset of symptoms of COVID-19 infection. Assessment 3: This will be carried out between 91 and 180 days after the onset of symptoms of COVID-19 infection. Assessment 4: This will be performed between 181 to 360 days after the onset of symptoms of COVID-19 infection. Inflammatory markers, the isometric maximum voluntary force of knee extensor torque, muscle fatigue, neuromuscular adaptations, muscle architecture, quadriceps tendon properties, peripheral oxygen extraction, and body composition will be evaluated in each assessment.