Impact of physical activity on self-reported health parameters in peripheral artery disease in two periods of the COVID-19 pandemic

Background

Prolonged social isolation intended to mitigate the spread of Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), may potentially affect the physical activity level and health of patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD).

Objectives

To analyze the impact of physical activity practice on longitudinal changes in self-reported health parameters during the COVID-19 pandemic in patients with PAD.

Design

Longitudinal study.

Setting

The database of studies developed by our group involving patients with PAD from public hospitals in São Paulo, Brazil.

Methods

In this longitudinal study, 99 patients with PAD were evaluated in two periods during the COVID-19 pandemic (i.e., May to August 2020 and May to August 2021). Patients were interviewed by telephone, and information was obtained regarding physical activity practice and self-reported health (i.e., current global, physical, and mental health). Patients were divided into two groups: the physically inactive group (patients who were or became physically inactive, n=76, 51.3% male, 67±10 years old, 8±7 years of disease duration) and the physically active group (patients who started or continued practicing physical activity, n=23, 65.2% male, 71±8years old, 7±6 years of disease).

Results

The physically inactive group more frequently self-reported their current health as poor (6.6 vs. 17.1%, P=0.045) and were more frequently hospitalized for reasons other than COVID-19 (6.6 vs. 27.6%, P=0.001) between the two periods evaluated during the COVID-19 pandemic. The physically active group self-reported lower declines in walking capacity (13.0 vs. 43.5%, P=0.022) between the two periods evaluated. We did not observe any differences in other parameters in either group between the two periods evaluated (p>0.05).

Conclusions

The practice of physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic can help maintain or mitigate the negative impacts on self-reported global and physical health parameters in patients with PAD.