ECSS Paris 2023: CP-MH16
INTRODUCTION: Concussion is a concern in contact sports, as it may disrupt the sensorimotor pathways essential for movement control – visual, vestibular, and somatosensory (VVS) systems – and potentially affects autonomic nervous system (ANS) function (1,2). Emerging evidence suggests that COVID-19 may similarly impact VVS and ANS function (3). This study investigated the relationship between self-reported history of COVID-19 and/or self-reported sport related concussion (SSRC) on VVS and ANS function in athletes. METHODS: 120 community level Australian Football League athletes (51 females, aged 16–37 years) participated in this study as part of pre-season baseline testing. Participants completed a self-report questionnaire, enabling categorisation into four groups: no history of COVID-19 or SSRC within the past 12 months (n=82), SSRC within the past 12 months (n=11), COVID-19 infection within the past 12 months (n=22), and both COVID-19 and SSRC within the past 12 months (n=5). Assessments were then conducted to evaluate visual-vestibular function (smooth pursuit and voluntary saccades), somatosensation (Active Movement Extent Discrimination Assessment, AMEDA), and autonomic function (pupillary light reflex). Independent samples t-test was performed in RStudio to detect differences between groups: no-history – COVID, no-history – SSRC, no-history – both. Significance set at p<0.05. RESULTS: Athletes with self-reported history of COVID-19 infection in past 12 months demonstrated significant reductions in sympathetic (p=0.016) and parasympathetic (p=0.049) function, when compared to the no-history group. Those with combined histories of COVID-19 and SSRC exhibited significant declines in sympathetic function (p=0.042), when compared to the no-history group. No significant differences in VVS function were observed across groups, and the SSRC-only group showed no significant ANS or VVS reductions. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to examine the combined impact of self-reported history of COVID-19 and SSRC on VVS and ANS function. History of COVID-19 infection significantly impaired ANS function in this population. Insufficient power limited between-group comparisons, with post-hoc analysis indicating 30 athletes required per group. While SSRC alone did not significantly affect VVS or ANS function, the combined impact of both COVID and SSRC history resulted in detectable deficits even in a small sample. Reliance on self-reported data may have introduced bias. These findings underscore the lingering effects of COVID-19 and the potential compounding effects of SSRC and COVID-19 on ANS function in athletes. References: 1.Caccese et al. (2021) 2.Esterov & Greenwald (2017) 3.Zacher et al. (2023)
Read CV Michaela McGrathECSS Paris 2023: CP-MH16
INTRODUCTION: Epidemiological studies showed that age was a risk factor for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection, severity, hospitalization and mortality [1,2]. In the same time, epidemiological studies showed a reduced risk of COVID-19 severity with the practice of regular physical activity (PA) in clinical populations [1,2] but it is unknow if is the same in elderly population. Here, we investigate the effect of PA against COVID-19 infection in elderly population. METHODS: The PROOF cohort study (2001-) was used to prospectively allow assessment of the predictive value of PA among a healthy retired French population, with regard to COVID-19 infection (2020-2021). Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary behaviour were assessed by a validated self-administered questionnaire (POPAQ) investigating 5 different types of PA during the 7 previous days. PA was measured in metabolic equivalent of task (MET)-h, which refers to the amount of energy (calories) expended per hour of PA. SB was measured in hour/day. Medical histories were taken during each clinical visit. The relationships between MVPA and COVID-19 infection were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic analysis, adjusted for several covariates. RESULTS: Among 372 subjects (214 women, mean age: 74.79 ± 0.96 years), 14 (3,76%) reported COVID-19 infection. Univariate logistic analysis revealed no association between COVID-19 infection and sitting time in hours per day (odds ratio (OR) 0,95; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.66 to 1.36; p=0.773) or the number of hours per day of PA greater than or equal to 3 Metabolic Equivalent of Task (METs) (OR 0.65; 95% CI 0.38 to 1.09; p=0.099). Finally, multivariate logistic analysis controlled for the covariates age, body mass index, alcohol consumption, high blood pressure, cholesterol, cancer and non-insulin-dependent diabetes showed that the number of hours per day of PA greater than or equal to 3 METs per day was independently associated to low risk of COVID-19 infection (OR 0.53; 95% CI 0.30 to 0.96; p=0.037), but not sitting time in hours per day (OR 0.94; 95% CI 0.65 to 1.35; p=0.726). CONCLUSION: The results showed that, for older people, the number of hours spent sitting per day does not seem to have an impact on the risk of COVID-19 infection. However, regular physical activity of moderate to vigorous intensity could offer protection against COVID-19 infection independently of known confounding factors. In a context of global warming with future emerging viral diseases, further researches are needed to understand the association of PA and various viral infections (such as dengue or chikungunya). References [1] de Souza et al. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 2021. [2] Sallis et al. Br J Sports Med, 2021.
Read CV Camille CazeneuveECSS Paris 2023: CP-MH16
INTRODUCTION: Physical activity is a key determinant of health in elderly women. While self-reported questionnaires provide subjective assessments, wearable devices offer objective measures [1]. Understanding the correlation between these two methods is essential for improving health monitoring strategies. This study aims to examine the correlation between subjective PA assessments obtained through International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and objective PA measurements from wearable sensors. METHODS: This study analyzed PA data from 71 older women (aged 60 years and above), all of whom were of Caucasoid ethnicity. Subjective PA assessment was conducted using IPAQ, while objective PA tracking was performed using a Polar V-800 heart rate monitor (Polar Electro Oy, Finland). Additional variables included self-reported health status, pain experience, and PA levels, which were compared against device-measured standing, walking, and running times. Differences between subjective and objective PA assessments were analyzed using ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to assess associations between self-reported and device-measured PA levels. RESULTS: Preliminary analysis identified a statistically significant discrepancy between self-reported and device-measured PA levels (mean ± standard deviation: 3098 ± 2540 MET-min/week vs. 1647 ± 324 MET-min/week, p < 0.05). Further correlation analysis revealed no significant association between self-reported health status, pain experience, and objectively measured PA levels (p > 0.05). However, education level exhibited a significant negative correlation with self-reported PA levels (r = -0.28, p < 0.05), whereas chronic pain status demonstrated a significant positive correlation with self-reported PA levels (r = 0.29, p < 0.05) CONCLUSION: These results indicate that self-reported PA assessments may be influenced by individual characteristics, emphasizing the need for integrating objective measurement tools to enhance accuracy in PA monitoring. Future research should explore additional factors influencing self-reported PA accuracy and develop refined assessment models tailored to diverse populations. References: 1. Cleland C. Validity of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) for assessing moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and sedentary behaviour of older adults in the United Kingdom. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2018 Dec 22;18(1):176.
Read CV Mingmao LiECSS Paris 2023: CP-MH16