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Sarcopenia during COVID-19 lockdown restrictions: long-term health effects of short-term muscle loss

ABSTRACT: The COVID-19 pandemic is an extraordinary global emergency that has led to the implementation of unprecedented measures in order to stem the spread of the infection. Internationally, governments are enforcing measures such as travel bans, quarantine, isolation, and social distancing leading to an extended period of time at home. This has resulted in reductions in physical activity and changes in dietary intakes that have the potential to accelerate sarcopenia, a deterioration of muscle mass and function (more likely in older populations), as well as increases in body fat. These changes in body composition are associated with a number of chronic, lifestyle diseases including cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes, osteoporosis, frailty, cognitive decline, and depression. Furthermore, CVD, diabetes, and elevated body fat are associated with greater risk of COVID-19 infection and more severe symptomology, underscoring the importance of avoiding the development of such morbidities. Here we review mechanisms of sarcopenia and their relation to the current data on the effects of COVID-19 confinement on physical activity, dietary habits, sleep, and stress as well as extended bed rest due to COVID-19 hospitalization. The potential of these factors to lead to an increased likelihood of muscle loss and chronic disease will be discussed. By offering a number of home-based strategies including resistance exercise, higher protein intakes and supplementation, we can potentially guide public health authorities to avoid a lifestyle disease and rehabilitation crisis post-COVID-19. Such strategies may also serve as useful preventative measures for reducing the likelihood of sarcopenia in general and in the event of future periods of isolation.

SUBMITTER: Kirwan R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7528158 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BackgroundLockdown restrictions reduce COVID-19 community transmission; however, they may pose challenges for noncommunicable disease management. A 112-day hard lockdown in Victoria, Australia (commencing March 23, 2020) coincided with an intervention trial of reducing and breaking up sitting time in desk workers with type 2 diabetes who were using a provided consumer-grade activity tracker (Fitbit).ObjectiveThis study aims to compare continuously recorded activity levels preceding and during COVID-19 lockdown restrictions among working adults with type 2 diabetes participating in a sitting less and moving more intervention.MethodsA total of 11 participants (n=8 male; mean age 52.8, SD 5 years) in Melbourne, Australia had Fitbit activity tracked before (mean 122.7, SD 47.9 days) and during (mean 99.7, SD 62.5 days) citywide COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. Regression models compared device (Fitbit Inspire HR)-derived activity (steps; metabolic equivalent tasks [METs]; mean time in sedentary, lightly, fairly, and very active minutes; and usual bout durations) during restrictions to prerestrictions. Changes in activity were statistically significant when estimates (Δ%) did not intercept zero.ResultsOverall, there was a decrease in mean steps (-1584 steps/day; Δ% -9%, 95% CI -11% to -7%); METs (-83 METs/day; Δ% -5%, 95% CI -6% to -5%); and lightly active (Δ% -4%, 95% CI -8% to -1%), fairly active (Δ% -8%, 95% CI -21% to -15%), and very active (Δ% -8%, 95% CI -11% to -5%) intensity minutes per day, and increases in mean sedentary minutes per day (51 mins/day; Δ% 3%, 95% CI 1%-6%). Only very active (+5.1 mins) and sedentary (+4.3 mins) bout durations changed significantly.ConclusionsIn a convenience sample of adults with type 2 diabetes, COVID-19 lockdown restrictions were associated with decreases in overall activity levels and increases in very active and sedentary bout durations. A Fitbit monitor provided meaningful continuous long-term data in this context.Trial registrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12618001159246; https://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?ACTRN=12618001159246.

Project description:Recent studies have highlighted the presence of cognitive deficits following COVID-19 that persist beyond acute infection, regardless of the initial disease severity. Impairments in short- and long-term memory are among the core deficits reported by patients and observed in objective tests of memory performance. We aimed to extend previous studies by examining performance in a task that allows us to directly compare and contrast memories at different timescales. More specifically, we assessed both short- and long-term memories for contextual-spatial associations encoded during a common session and probed at different durations using an equivalent task in non-hospitalized individuals recovering from mild COVID-19 compared to healthy controls. The approach equated all aspects of memory materials and response demands, isolating performance changes resulting only from memory timescales and thus allowing us to quantify the impact of COVID-19 on cognition. In addition to providing measures of accuracy and response times, the task also provided a sensitive continuous readout of the precision of memory representations, specifically by examining the resolution with which spatial locations were retained in memory. The results demonstrated selective impairment of long-term memory performance in individuals recovering from mild COVID-19 infection. Short-term memory performance remained comparable to healthy controls. Specifically, poor precision of long-term memory representations was demonstrated, which improved with days since diagnosis. No such relationship was observed for short-term memory performance. Our findings reveal a specific impairment to the precision of spatial-contextual long-term memory representations in individuals recovering from mild COVID-19 and demonstrate evidence of recovery in long-term memory over time. Further, the experimental design provides a carefully controlled and sensitive framework to assess memory across different durations with the potential to provide more detailed phenotyping of memory deficits associated with COVID-19 in general.

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Sarcopenia during COVID-19 lockdown restrictions: long-term health effects of short-term muscle loss

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