Fitness, strength and severity of COVID-19: a prospective register study of 1 559 187 Swedish conscripts.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To investigate the possible connection between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and muscle strength in early adulthood and severity of COVID-19 later in life.

Design

Prospective registry-based cohort study.

Participants

1 559 187 Swedish men, undergoing military conscription between 1968 and 2005 at a mean age of 18.3 (SD 0.73) years.

Main outcome measures

Hospitalisation, intensive care or death due to COVID-19 from March to September 2020, in relation to CRF and muscle strength.

Results

High CRF in late adolescence and early adulthood had a protective association with severe COVID-19 later in life with OR (95% CI) 0.76 (0.67 to 0.85) for hospitalisation (n=2 006), 0.61 (0.48 to 0.78) for intensive care (n=445) and 0.56 (0.37 to 0.85) for morta

SUBMITTER: Af Geijerstam A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8260308 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature