Impact of COVID-19 severity on peripheral muscle strength in hospitalized adults: a prospective cohort study

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the impact of COVID-19 severity on peripheral muscle strength (PMS) in hospitalized adults.

Materials and methods: A prospective observational cohort study that included adults diagnosed with COVID-19 who were hospitalized in a high-complexity hospital between September and December 2020. Subjects were divided into severe and non-severe groups according to the American Thoracic Society criteria, and PMS was assessed using the Medical Research Council scale (MRC) at hospital admission and discharge.

Results: A total of 79 subjects were included, of whom 42 (53.2 %) were classified as severe. The need for admission to the intensive care unit, the use of mechanical ventilation, and the presence of comorbidities were significantly higher in the severe group (p < 0.05). The median PMS did not differ between groups at hospital admission [severe: 50 (IQR 45–55) vs. non-severe: 50 (IQR 50–55), p=0.063]. At hospital discharge, the severe group had a lower median PMS compared with the non-severe group [55 (IQR 50–60) vs. 60 (IQR 55–60), p=0.013].

Conclusion: Subjects with severe COVID-19 had lower PMS at hospital discharge compared with those with non-severe disease.