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Regular exercise before COVID infection linked to better daily function 2 years later
News briefToday at 11:12 a.m.
Laine Bergeson
Topics
COVID-19
People who exercised regularly before contracting COVID-19 were less likely to have trouble performing everyday tasks two years later, according to a new study published in BMC Public Health.
After having COVID, some people report ongoing fatigue, muscle weakness, and difficulty performing everyday tasks. To assess if being physically active before infection is associated with less disability post-infection, researchers led by a team from the Federal University of Pelotas in Brazil analyzed data from adults who had symptomatic, laboratory-confirmed COVID from December 2020 through March 2021.
For the study, physical activity was defined as exercising at least 150 minutes a week. Participants who reported exercising at least that much before infection were classified as physically active.
Researchers assessed functional ability six and 24 months after infection by asking participants whether they needed help performing tasks such as shopping, preparing meals, cleaning, handling small objects, and taking medications.
The six-month assessment included 2,919 adults, and the two-year assessment included 1,927. At six months, 8.4% reported some difficulty completing daily tasks. That proportion climbed to 31.6% at the two-year mark.
Exercise may boost lung capacity, reduce inflammation
After accounting for age, sex, race, income, and body mass index, the researchers determined that those who met physical activity recommendations before infection had a 20% lower rate of functional disability than those who didn’t two years later.While the researchers caution that physical activity and functional ability were self-reported, and an observational study can’t prove that exercise helped mediate disability, they hypothesize that exercise may improve lung capacity, support immune regulation, and reduce inflammation, which could improve COVID-related outcomes.
“These findings suggest that pre-infection [physical activity] may be associated with better long-term functional outcomes after COVID-19,” the authors conclude. “Therefore, promoting [physical activity] as part of public health strategies may be a crucial approach for improving functional recovery and reducing the prolonged effects associated with COVID-19.”
Quick takes: Cyclosporiasis in Michigan, Aedes mosquitoes in the UK, new NYC Legionnaires measures
News briefToday at 10:51 a.m.
Chris Dall, MA
Topics
Cyclospora
Chikungunya
Dengue
Legionella
Zika
Foodborne Disease
- Health officials in Michigan this week added 208 more cyclosporiasis cases this week, bringing the state’s outbreak total to 14,718 cases. As of yesterday, 366 case-patients have reported hospitalization in the cyclospora outbreak, which is linked to iceberg lettuce sourced from Mexico and served at Taco Bell restaurants, and two deaths have been identified. Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has received reports of 18,445 cyclosporiasis cases and 990 hospitalizations.
- The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says mosquitoes capable of spreading Zika, dengue, and chikungunya virus have been found breeding at residential properties in east London. It’s the fourth time the Aedes aegypti mosquito has been detected in the United Kingdom but the first identification of larvae. The UKHSA says control measures have been implemented to destroy the larvae and that the area will continue to be monitored closely. “Despite evidence of breeding in this local area and the recent heatwaves, the species is not established in the UK and cannot survive long-term in the typical UK climate, which is too cold overall,” Jolyon Medlock, PhD, UKHSA’s head of medical entomology and zoonoses ecology, said in a news release.
- On the heels of a cluster of cases on New York City’s Upper East Side, the New York City Health Department yesterday announced new measures to strengthen the city’s response to Legionnaires disease. The cluster of cases of the pneumonia-like illness, which sickened 94 people and killed 11, was caused by Legionella bacteria in cooling towers in the area. The measures include identifying potentially unregistered cooling towers, enhancing public visibility and transparency around cooling tower regulations, and exploring new and faster testing methods to reduce the time it takes to test and confirm positive results. “New York City already has some of the most rigorous cooling tower laws and regulations in the country, but rigorous standards only matter if we are constantly working to make them stronger,” New York City Health Commissioner Alister Martin, MD, MPP, said in a press release.