Impact of physical activity on self-reported health parameters in peripheral artery disease in two periods of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hélcio Kanegusuku, Heloisa Amaral Braghieri, Juliana Ferreira Carvalho and 6 others
PMID 37684087WHAT IT FOUND
During the pandemic, PAD patients who stayed physically active reported fewer declines in walking capacity.
Those who were inactive reported more poor health and hospitalizations for non-COVID reasons. Mental health changes did not differ between the two periods for either group.
Key findings
01Patients in the physically inactive group reported their current health as poor more frequently in the second period compared to the first (6.6% vs 17.1%, P=0.045).
02Patients in the physically active group reported lower declines in walking capacity between the two periods (13.0% vs 43.5%, P=0.022).
03Mental health parameters, including anxiety, depression, stress, and unhappiness, did not differ significantly between the two pandemic periods in either the active or inactive groups.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study relied on self-reported data, which is susceptible to information bias. A large number of patients (50 out of 149) were lost to follow-up, dropped out, or died, which may introduce selection bias. The study did not assess confounding variables such as PAD severity, new diagnoses, or worsening of comorbidities that could influence health outcomes. The reasons for hospitalization were not evaluated. Results may not be generalizable to other populations with different characteristics.
Declared interests
The authors have no conflict of interest. Two authors received research productivity fellowships from the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the association between physical inactivity and poor health as proof that exercise alone prevents all negative health outcomes during a pandemic. The study did not control for disease severity or comorbidities, and the inactive group's increased hospitalizations for non-COVID reasons could reflect underlying worsening of conditions rather than just lack of activity.