Functional prognosis of elderly people affected by COVID-19

• Grant number: 18/19618-8
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: September 01, 2019
• End date: August 31, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal Investigator: José Eduardo Pompeu
• Grantee: José Eduardo Pompeu
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Caroline Gil de Godoy ; Keith David Hill ; Naomi Kondo Nakagawa
• Associated research grant(s): 25/03372-3 - World Physiotherapy Congress 2025, AR.EXT

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the functional prognosis of older people affected by COVID-19 after admission to a highly complex hospital. Methods: This is a prospective cohort study that will follow the functional evolution of older people over 60 years after the cure of the infection by COVID-19, able to understand and respond to commands, and able to walk without assistance by least 10 meters. The older people will be evaluated in 5 moments: initial evaluation (30 days after the cure of the disease), after 6 and 12 months after hospital discharge. The older people will be excluded from the study if they refuse to participate, do not have availability to attend the data collection sites, and have motor and cognitive limitations to perform the study tests. The outcomes to be analyzed will be: (1) mobility; (2) independence in activities of daily living; (3) fear of falling and number of falls; (4) postural control; (5) overall muscle strength; (6) Cognition; (7) Humor; (8) physical activity level; (9) number of drugs in use; (10) number of hospital admissions; (11) number of comorbidities; (12) clinical decompensations and (13) death. The study measures will be: (1) Life Space Assessment and Timed up and go instrumentalized; (2) Barthel Index; (3) FES-I and falls questionnaire; (4) Mini BESTest and evaluation of the static posture in the force platform (5) manual dynamometer; (6) Montreal Cognitive Assessment, (7) 15-Geriatric Depression Scale and (8) International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Form and accelerometry; in addition to data such as medication in use, hospitalizations, comorbidities and clinical decompensations. The results will be presented using descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, confidence interval and interquartile range. Participants will be divided into groups with the following criteria: age group; sex; number of comorbidities and number of drugs. The prognosis of the groups will be compared using ANOVA one way. Multiple regression analysis will be performed to study the risk factors for fall and falls. (AU)