Available online 21 October 2023

Total number of acute symptoms is the most significant factor associated with prolonged return to full performance after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in athletes.

Number of systemic symptoms is also strongly associated with prolonged return to full performance.

Females, endurance athletes, and those with a history of co-morbidities also experienced a prolonged return to full performance.

The aim of the study was to identify factors associated with prolonged time to return to full performance (RTFP) in athletes with recent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

Prospective cohort study with cross sectional analysis. A total of 84 athletes with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection assessed at a coronavirus disease 2019 recovery clinic gave a history of: age, sex, type/level of sport, co-morbidities, pre-infection training hours, and 26 acute SARS-CoV-2 symptoms from 3 categories (“nose and throat,” “chest and neck,” and “whole body”/systemic). Data on days to RTFP were obtained by structured interviews. Factors associated with RTFP were: demographics, sport participation, history of co-morbidities, pre-infection training history, acute symptoms (type, number). Outcomes were: (a) days to RTFP (median, interquartile range (IQR)) in asymptomatic (n = 7) and symptomatic athletes (n = 77), and (b) hazard ratios (HRs; 95% confidence interval) for symptomatic athletes with vs. without a factor (univariate, multiple models). HR < 1 was predictive of higher % chance of prolonged RTFP. Significance was p < 0.05.

Days to RTFP were 30 days (23–40 days) for asymptomatic and 64 days (42–91 days) for symptomatic participants (p > 0.05). Factors associated with prolonged RTFP (univariate models) were: females (HR = 0.57; p = 0.014), endurance athletes (HR = 0.41; p < 0.0001), co-morbidity number (HR = 0.75; p = 0.001), respiratory disease history (HR = 0.54; p = 0.026). In symptomatic athletes, prolonged RTFP (multiple models) was significantly associated with increased “chest and neck” (HR = 0.85; p = 0.017) and “nose and throat” (HR = 0.84; p = 0.013) symptoms, but the association was more profound between prolonged RFTP and increased total number of “all symptoms” (HR = 0.91; p = 0.001) and “whole body”/systemic (HR = 0.82; p = 0.007) symptoms.

A larger number of total symptoms and specifically “whole body”/systemic symptoms during the acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection in athletes is associated with prolonged RTFP.

Athletes

COVID-19

Performance

Recovery

Return to play

© 2023 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Shanghai University of Sport.