Deconditioning as main mechanism of impaired exercise response in COVID-19 survivors

SARS-CoV2 and the related Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) hit Europe in February 2020 [1], raising issues on acute phase management and, later on, the management of its long-term sequelae. Cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET), which is the gold standard for the evaluation of exercise capacity, is included in the list of examinations of the European Respiratory Society (ERS)/American Thoracic Society (ATS) task force for the follow-up of COVID-19 patients [2]. However, it is not performed in every clinical center, requiring specific technical skills. The objective of this observational, prospective study was to evaluate the sequelae of COVID-19 assessing the exercise performance during incremental CPET. the authors wish to acknowledge Dr Silvia Terraneo, Dr Fausta Alfano, Dr Andrea Baccelli, Dr Matteo Davi, Dr Sabrina De Pascalis, Dr Alessandra Masseroni, Dr Stefano Pavesi and Dr Silvia Ruggeri and for their help in patient recruitment and data collection and their work in the post-COVID-19 outpatient service. Authors also wish to thank our outstanding CPET Laboratory nurses Mrs. Giulia Merli, Mrs. Claudia Migliaccio and Mrs. Caterina Spagnuolo.