Improving Quality of Life, Sleep and Mental Health Through Multicomponent Training Versus Brazilian Recommendations of Physical Activity in Post-COVID-19 Patients: CORE-Study–A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background and objectives: To analyze the effects of multicomponent training on the quality of life (Qol), sleep quality (SQ), depressive symptoms (DS), and health perception (HP) in adults and elderly individuals postCOVID-19 infection. Methods: Randomized controlled clinical trial, with an intervention group (IG) of multicomponent physical training lasting 11 weeks and a control group (CG). The participants were adults and elderly people, of both genders, who were infected with COVID-19 in its moderate to severe type. The study was carried out in Florian opolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil from November 2021 to April 2023. The training program consisted of balance, strength and aerobic exercises. QoL, DS, SQ and HP were evaluated at baseline and at the 12th week. Outcomes were analyzed by Protocol (PP) and by Intention to Treat (ITT). Generalized Estimating Equations were used, with Bonferroni post -hoc; alpha: 0.05. Results: Thirty-nine subjects (19 women, 52.50 +/- 12.97 years old) composed the sample. In the ITT analysis, an improvement in QoL was observed only in the intervention group (IG-pre: 10.70 +/- 0.77, post: 8.83 +/- 0.82, p < 0.001; CG -pre: 10.11 +/- 0.81, post:11.00 +/- 1.11, p = 0.408). In relation to SQ, improvement was also found only in the IG (IG-pre: 8.80 +/- 0.94, post: 6.47 +/- 0,88, p < 0.001; CG -pre: 7.00 +/- 1,04, post: 7.21 +/- 1.20, p = 0.768). In DS, improvement was observed (p < 0.001) in both groups (IG-pre: 8.89 +/- 1.14, post: 4.71 +/- 1.22; CG -pre: 9.06 +/- 1.68, post: 6.92 +/- 1.80). In the PP analysis, only SQ and DS improved in both groups. No significant improvements were observed in any of the analyses for the HP outcome. Conclusion: Multicomponent training demonstrated superiority in enhancing QoL and SQ, and both approaches (multicomponent training and recommendations for physical activity) appear to mitigate depressive symptoms. Both approaches seem not to significantly improve HP. Brazilian clinical trials registry: RBR-10y6jhr.