Association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and the physical fitness of young-adult cadets: a retrospective case–control study
Objectives To determine the association of symptomatic and asymptomatic mild COVID-19 and the SARS-CoV-2 viral load with the physical fitness of army cadets.Design A retrospective case–control study.Setting Officers’ Training School of the Israel Defense Forces.Participants The study included all ca...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMJ Publishing Group
2022-12-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/12/e066094.full |
| _version_ | 1797774641259872256 |
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| author | Itamar Grotto Lidor Peretz Akiva Grossman Salih J Saeed Talia Appleboim-Refael Yair Zloof Limor Friedensohn Shachar Shapira Amir Shlaifer |
| author_facet | Itamar Grotto Lidor Peretz Akiva Grossman Salih J Saeed Talia Appleboim-Refael Yair Zloof Limor Friedensohn Shachar Shapira Amir Shlaifer |
| author_sort | Itamar Grotto |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives To determine the association of symptomatic and asymptomatic mild COVID-19 and the SARS-CoV-2 viral load with the physical fitness of army cadets.Design A retrospective case–control study.Setting Officers’ Training School of the Israel Defense Forces.Participants The study included all cadets (age, 20.22±1.17 years) in the combatant (n=597; 514 males, 83 females; 33 infected, all males) and non-combatant (n=611; 238 males, 373 females; 91 infected, 57 females, 34 males) training courses between 1 August 2020 and 28 February 2021. COVID-19 outbreaks occurred in September 2020 (non-combatants) and January 2021(combatants).Primary and secondary outcome measures The primary outcome measures were the aerobic (3000 m race) and anaerobic (combatant/non-combatant-specific) physical fitness mean score differences (MSDs) between the start and end of the respective training courses in infected and non-infected cadets. Secondary outcome measures included aerobic MSD associations with various COVID-19 symptoms and SARS-CoV-2 viral loads.Results SARS-CoV-2 infection led to declined non-combatant and combatant aerobic fitness MSD (14.53±47.80 vs –19.19±60.89 s; p<0.001 and –2.72±21.74 vs –23.63±30.92 s; p<0.001), but not anaerobic. The aerobic physical fitness MSD decreased in symptomatic cadets (14.69±44.87 s) and increased in asymptomatic cadets (–3.79±31.07 s), but the difference was statistically insignificant (p=0.07). Symptomatic cadets with fever (24.70±50.95 vs –0.37±33.87 s; p=0.008) and headache (21.85±43.17 vs 1.69±39.54 s; p=0.043) had more positive aerobic physical fitness MSD than asymptomatic cadets. The aerobic fitness decline was negatively associated with viral load assessed by the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (n=61; r = –0.329; p=0.010), envelope (n=56; r = –0.385; p=0.002) and nucleus (n=65; r = –0.340; p=0.010) genes.Conclusions SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with a lingering decline in aerobic, but not anaerobic, fitness in symptomatic and asymptomatic young adults, suggesting possible directions for individualised symptom-dependent and severity-dependent rehabilitation plans’ optimisation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T22:24:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c99b6d671c094162a54a6496def4cd41 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T22:24:05Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj.art-c99b6d671c094162a54a6496def4cd412023-07-23T03:30:06ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552022-12-01121210.1136/bmjopen-2022-066094Association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and the physical fitness of young-adult cadets: a retrospective case–control studyItamar Grotto0Lidor Peretz1Akiva Grossman2Salih J Saeed3Talia Appleboim-Refael4Yair Zloof5Limor Friedensohn6Shachar Shapira7Amir Shlaifer8Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Community Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Faculty of Health Sciences, Beer Sheva, IsraelIsrael Defense Forces, Israeli Medical Corps, Tel Hashomer, Tel Aviv, IsraelIsrael Defense Forces, Israeli Medical Corps, Tel Hashomer, Tel Aviv, IsraelIsrael Defense Forces, Israeli Medical Corps, Tel Hashomer, Tel Aviv, IsraelIsrael Defense Forces, Israeli Medical Corps, Tel Hashomer, Tel Aviv, IsraelIsrael Defense Forces, Israeli Medical Corps, Tel Hashomer, Tel Aviv, IsraelIsrael Defense Forces, Israeli Medical Corps, Tel Hashomer, Tel Aviv, IsraelIsrael Defense Forces, Israeli Medical Corps, Tel Hashomer, Tel Aviv, IsraelIsrael Defense Forces, Israeli Medical Corps, Tel Hashomer, Tel Aviv, IsraelObjectives To determine the association of symptomatic and asymptomatic mild COVID-19 and the SARS-CoV-2 viral load with the physical fitness of army cadets.Design A retrospective case–control study.Setting Officers’ Training School of the Israel Defense Forces.Participants The study included all cadets (age, 20.22±1.17 years) in the combatant (n=597; 514 males, 83 females; 33 infected, all males) and non-combatant (n=611; 238 males, 373 females; 91 infected, 57 females, 34 males) training courses between 1 August 2020 and 28 February 2021. COVID-19 outbreaks occurred in September 2020 (non-combatants) and January 2021(combatants).Primary and secondary outcome measures The primary outcome measures were the aerobic (3000 m race) and anaerobic (combatant/non-combatant-specific) physical fitness mean score differences (MSDs) between the start and end of the respective training courses in infected and non-infected cadets. Secondary outcome measures included aerobic MSD associations with various COVID-19 symptoms and SARS-CoV-2 viral loads.Results SARS-CoV-2 infection led to declined non-combatant and combatant aerobic fitness MSD (14.53±47.80 vs –19.19±60.89 s; p<0.001 and –2.72±21.74 vs –23.63±30.92 s; p<0.001), but not anaerobic. The aerobic physical fitness MSD decreased in symptomatic cadets (14.69±44.87 s) and increased in asymptomatic cadets (–3.79±31.07 s), but the difference was statistically insignificant (p=0.07). Symptomatic cadets with fever (24.70±50.95 vs –0.37±33.87 s; p=0.008) and headache (21.85±43.17 vs 1.69±39.54 s; p=0.043) had more positive aerobic physical fitness MSD than asymptomatic cadets. The aerobic fitness decline was negatively associated with viral load assessed by the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (n=61; r = –0.329; p=0.010), envelope (n=56; r = –0.385; p=0.002) and nucleus (n=65; r = –0.340; p=0.010) genes.Conclusions SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with a lingering decline in aerobic, but not anaerobic, fitness in symptomatic and asymptomatic young adults, suggesting possible directions for individualised symptom-dependent and severity-dependent rehabilitation plans’ optimisation.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/12/e066094.full |
| spellingShingle | Itamar Grotto Lidor Peretz Akiva Grossman Salih J Saeed Talia Appleboim-Refael Yair Zloof Limor Friedensohn Shachar Shapira Amir Shlaifer Association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and the physical fitness of young-adult cadets: a retrospective case–control study BMJ Open |
| title | Association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and the physical fitness of young-adult cadets: a retrospective case–control study |
| title_full | Association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and the physical fitness of young-adult cadets: a retrospective case–control study |
| title_fullStr | Association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and the physical fitness of young-adult cadets: a retrospective case–control study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and the physical fitness of young-adult cadets: a retrospective case–control study |
| title_short | Association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and the physical fitness of young-adult cadets: a retrospective case–control study |
| title_sort | association between sars cov 2 infection and the physical fitness of young adult cadets a retrospective case control study |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/12/e066094.full |
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