Trial Report Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in Children With Long COVID: A Case-controlled Study, 2024, Baldi

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COVID REPORTS
Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in Children With Long COVID: A Case-controlled Study

Baldi, Fabiana MD*; De Rose, Cristina MD†; Mariani, Francesco MD†; Morello, Rosa MD†; Raffaelli, Francesca MD‡; Valentini, Piero MD†; Buonsenso, Danilo MD†,§

Author Information
The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal ():10.1097/INF.0000000000004371, May 07, 2024. | DOI: 10.1097/INF.0000000000004371

• OPEN
• PAP

Abstract
Background:
Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is a noninvasive and nonexpensive diagnostic tool, that provides a comprehensive evaluation of the pulmonary, cardiovascular, and skeletal muscle systems’ integrated reactions to exercise. CPET has been extensively used in adults with Long COVID (LC), while the evidence about its role in children with this condition is scarce.

Methods:
Prospective, case-controlled observational study. Children with LC and a control group of healthy children underwent CPET. CPET findings were compared within the 2 groups, and within the LC groups according to main clusters of persisting symptoms.

Results:
Sixty-one children with LC and 29 healthy controls were included. Overall, 90.2% of LC patients (55 of 61) had a pathologic test vs 10.3% (3/29) of the healthy control. Children with LC presented a statistically significant higher probability of having abnormal values of peak VO2 (P = 0.001), AT% pred (P <0.001), VO2/HR % (P = 0.03), VO2 work slope (P = 0.002), VE/VCO2 slope (P = 0.01). The mean VO2 peak was 30.17 (±6.85) in LC and 34.37 (±6.55) in healthy patients (P = 0.007).

Conclusions:
Compared with healthy controls, children with LC have objective impaired functional capacity (expressed by a low VO2 peak), signs of deconditioning and cardiogenic inefficiency when assessed with CPET. As such, CPET should be routinely used in clinical practice to objectify and phenotype the functional limitations of children with LC, and to follow-up them.

 

... and the repeat test?

 

'Compared with healthy controls, children with LC have objective impaired functional capacity (expressed by a low VO2 peak), signs of deconditioning and cardiogenic inefficiency when assessed with CPET. As such, CPET should be routinely used in clinical practice to objectify and phenotype the functional limitations of children with LC, and to follow-up them.'


Reads like they're set to use CPET as a weapon.

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Some quotes from the discussion —

 

Again with this. There is zero evidence that it has anything to do with psychological consequences, but the way it's framed it has to be falsified in order not to be considered true. This is not how science works! Cultural beliefs are not a basis of evidence for anything anymore than swords in ponds are a proper basis to determine who should be in charge!

Even if they consider it mostly disputed, they still give weight to the lie by agreeing that unless they see evidence of something else, then it's not just a valid possibility, but a fact.

 

But, but... there are thousands of papers saying that this is the thing and obviously it's just common sense - I mean just ask the person-in-the-street about those lockdowns, amirite?

I don't know, but charitably if you're publishing findings and hypotheses that go against the tide (alt. the contents of Augeas' stables) maybe it's Realacademik?