Associations between heart rate and physical activity in people with post-COVID-19 condition accounting for [ME/CFS], 2026, Adodo+

[SNT Gatchaman]

Associations between heart rate and physical activity in people with post-COVID-19 condition accounting for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms

Spoiler: Authors

Rachel Adodo; Antonio Sarmento Da Nobrega; Rodrigo Villar; Sandra C Webber; Diana C Sanchez-Ramirez

BACKGROUND
Tachycardia after mild activity or during rest is a common complaint among people with post-COVID-19 condition (PCC). Understanding the relationships between heart rate (HR) and physical activity (PA) in this population is crucial for developing appropriate rehabilitation protocols.

OBJECTIVE
To investigate the associations between HR and PA in individuals with PCC, accounting for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) symptoms.

DESIGN
Observational study.

SUBJECTS
Sixteen adults with PCC (81% females, mean age 51 ± 12 years).

METHODS
Participants were instructed to use 2 wearable devices (Garmin smartwatch and ActiGraph accelerometer) during waking hours over 4 days while performing daily activities. Average HR, percentage of time in tachycardia (time with HR > 100 bpm), and daily step count were assessed. The accelerometer counts per minute was used to categorize daily PA as sedentary, light intensity, and moderate-to-vigorous (MVPA).

RESULTS
Participants wore the watches and accelerometers for a mean of 11.36 ± 2.60 and 12.51 ± 1.94 h per day, respectively. Average daily HR increased with increasing PA levels from sedentary to MVPA. However, the percentage of time in tachycardia was significantly lower during periods of MVPA compared with sedentary periods, even after adjusting for ME/CFS symptoms.

CONCLUSION
Individuals with PCC in our study experienced more tachycardia during periods of minimal physical activity compared with periods categorized as MVPA.

Web | DOI | PDF | Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine | Open Access

 

[Utsikt]

Fear avoidance and prescribing safe and gradual rehab:

Although both groups of our study participants experienced tachycardia at rest, individuals with PCC experiencing ME/CFS have shown greater fatigue and post-exertional malaise (40), symptoms that arise from physical or mental exertion. As a result, these individuals may avoid or decrease PA (41) to prevent symptom exacerbation.

Although fear-avoidance behaviour may be effective in the short term, it may contribute to prolonged symptoms and deconditioning of the individual over time (39). Therefore, it is important to identify and address symptoms commonly experienced by individuals with PCC such as fatigue and dyspnoea (42), as they may contribute to reduce exercise capacity, limit daily activities (42), and hinder physical activity (43).

(…)

While rehabilitation may help counteract deconditioning and lack of PA, caution is necessary when incorporating exercise into rehabilitation programmes with these patients. Skeletal muscle mitochondria changes, inflammation, and capillary injury may contribute to fatigue (53), and physical activity may further aggravate these processes (54); therefore, a safe and gradual increase in PA should be encouraged to avoid symptom exacerbation. The use of individualized and supervised exercise programmes (55), together with pacing during PA (56), may help mitigate worsening of symptoms.

 

[Eleanor]

It makes me a little suspicious when a paper makes a big deal of a particular statistical association but doesn't tell you the actual data from which it was derived.