The Effects of Exercise Therapy Moderated by Sex in Rehabilitation of
                    COVID-19

Linda Rausch; Bernhard Puchner; Jürgen Fuchshuber; Barbara Seebacher; Judith Löffler-Ragg; Stephan Pramsohler; Nikolaus Netzer; Martin Faulhaber

doi:10.1055/a-1866-6092

International Journal of Sports Medicine, Inhaltsverzeichnis

CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Int J Sports Med 2022; 43(12): 1043-1051
DOI: 10.1055/a-1866-6092

Training & Testing

The Effects of Exercise Therapy Moderated by Sex in Rehabilitation of COVID-19

Authors

Linda Rausch

¹Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
Bernhard Puchner

²Department of Rehabilitation Research, Rehab Center Muenster, Muenster, Austria
Jürgen Fuchshuber

³Grüner Kreis Society, Center for Integrative Addiction Research (CIAR), Vienna, Austria

⁴University Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
Barbara Seebacher

²Department of Rehabilitation Research, Rehab Center Muenster, Muenster, Austria
Judith Löffler-Ragg

⁵Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
Stephan Pramsohler

⁶associated to University of Innsbruck, Hermann Buhl Institute for Hypoxia and Sleep Medicine Research, Lenggries, Germany
Nikolaus Netzer

⁶associated to University of Innsbruck, Hermann Buhl Institute for Hypoxia and Sleep Medicine Research, Lenggries, Germany

⁷Department Medicine, Division Sports Medicine, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany

⁸Institute of Mountain Emergency Medicine, EURAC Research, Bolzano, Italy
Martin Faulhaber

¹Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria

Abstract

Standardized exercise therapy programs in pulmonary rehabilitation have been shown to improve physical performance and lung function parameters in post-acute COVID-19 patients. However, it has not been investigated if these positive effects are equally beneficial for both sexes. The purpose of this study was to analyze outcomes of a pulmonary rehabilitation program with respect to sex differences, in order to identify sex-specific pulmonary rehabilitation requirements. Data of 233 post-acute COVID-19 patients (40.4% females) were analyzed before and after a three-week standardized pulmonary rehabilitation program. Lung function parameters were assessed using body-plethysmography and functional exercise capacity was measured by the Six-Minute Walk Test. At post-rehabilitation, females showed a significantly smaller improvement in maximal inspiration capacity and forced expiratory volume (F=5.86, ω²⁼.02; p<0.05) than males. Exercise capacity improvements between men and women did not differ statistically. Females made greater progress towards reference values of exercise capacity (T(231)=−3.04; p<0.01) and forced expiratory volume in the first second (T(231)=2.83; p<0.01) than males. Sex differences in the improvement of lung function parameters seem to exist and should be considered when personalizing standardized exercise therapies in pulmonary rehabilitation.

Key words

exercise therapy - rehabilitation - sex characteristics - COVID-19 - respiratory function tests - six-minute walk test

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Referenzen

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