Cardiopulmonary Function in Pediatric Post-COVID: The Follow-up of a Controlled Clinical Trial

Background: The importance of post-COVID symptoms in adults has been recognized and also partly been objectified in children and adolescents. After a first study comparing children with post-COVID symptoms with a control group, this follow-up study aims to investigate the long-term sequelae of this cohort to estimate the potential for recovery.

Methods: As part of the FASCINATE study, children fulfilling the criteria of post-COVID and children who showed no signs of post-COVID after infection with SARS-CoV-2 underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing along with a questionnaire investigating the amount of physical exercise 6 months after the initial testing.

Results: The same children who had participated in the cross-sectional study (13 children suffering from post-COVID, mean age: 11.9 ± 3.1 years, 61.5% females and 23 children after SARS-CoV-2 infection without symptoms of post-COVID, mean age: 13.6 ± 2.6 years, 47.8% females) completed a second maximal treadmill test. Overall, there was a significant improvement in VO₂ peak, O₂ pulse, and VE/VCO₂ slope for the whole group. This improvement was especially pronounced in the O₂ pulse (symptomatic: 10.6 ± 3.2 vs. 11.8 ± 4.0 mL/min, control group: 11.2 ± 4.7 vs. 12.1 ± 5.2 mL/min).

Conclusion: This is the first study to investigate post-COVID in children using CPET over a longer period. There was a significant improvement in VO₂ peak, O₂ pulse, and VE/VCO₂ slope after 6 months. In light of the finding of the first study where a significant correlation between and the time period without physical activity after infection was found, the further significant improvement of VO₂ peak, O₂ pulse, and VE/VCO₂ slope after 6 months strengthens the hypothesis that deconditioning could be the cause for post-COVID symptoms.

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Artikel online veröffentlicht:
11. Februar 2025