# COVID-19 long: evaluation of quality of life, sarcopenia and proteinuria

## TL;DR

This study examines how quality of life, muscle health, and kidney function are affected six and twelve months after mild or moderate COVID-19.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into long-term physical and functional outcomes following mild and moderate COVID-19 cases.

## Key findings

- Moderate cases showed worse functional capacity, more pain, and higher risk of sarcopenia compared to mild cases at six months.
- Proteinuria and muscle weakness persisted in both groups at 12 months, with the mild group showing worsening in several metrics.
- SARC-F scores correlated negatively with muscle strength and functional capacity.

## Abstract

To evaluate quality of life, sarcopenia and proteinuria, six and 12 months after infection with mild and moderate COVID-19.

We evaluated 253 individuals with mild (n = 119) and moderate (n = 134) clinical presentation for COVID-19 (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction—RT-PCR) after six (T6) and 12 (T12) months from the date of acute infection (T0). Quality of life, pain, risk for sarcopenia, muscle strength and proteinuria were assessed by the Short Form Health Survey 36 (SF-36) questionnaire; visual analogue scale (VAS); the Simple Questionnaire to Rapidly Diagnose Sarcopenia (SARC-F); hand grip and sit-up and the urinalysis strip, respectively.

The average age was 44 ± 10 and 43 ± 12 years; female 68 and 59% for the mild and moderate groups, respectively. Seventy-five percent or more of patients were vaccinated with at least two doses before acquiring COVID-19 infection. Individuals with a moderate clinical presentation in relation to mild cases were hypertensive (23 and 6%, p < 0.001) and had diabetes mellitus (9 and 2%; p = 0.01) at the time of COVID-19 acute infection. The moderate group at T6 presented lower functional capacity (SF36: 46 ± 20 vs. 61 ± 24); more pain (SF36: 45 ± 29 vs. 67 ± 32 and VAS: 55 vs. 32%); greater dysfunctionality for daily activities (Duke Activity Status Index—DASI: 40 ± 11 vs. 45 ± 10); lower limb muscle strength (sit-up: 9 ± 2 vs. 11 ± 2); higher risk for sarcopenia (SARC-F: 6 ± 4 vs. 4 ± 3) and higher proteinuria ≥ 1"+": 59 vs. 42%) compared to the mild group. After 12 months, the moderate group remained with greater pain (SF36+VAS) and more dysfunctionality in daily activities (DASI) compared to the mild group.

Comparing T12 to T6, we observed that the mild group had worse functional capacity; more pain (SF36+VAS); lower upper limb strength and higher proteinuria ≥ 1"+": 63 vs. 42%). We observed a negative correlation between SARC-F score and sit-up; functional capacity (SF36).