Chronic fatigue is the most common and debilitating symptom in intensive care unit (ICU) survivors. Indeed, it has been widely reported that patients who stayed in ICU for prolonged periods report a feeling of tiredness for months to years after ICU discharge. This symptom seems particularly pronounced in Covid-19 patients and may affect their quality of life by decreasing their capacity to perform simple tasks of daily life. The aim of the present project is to determine whether deteriorated neuromuscular function (i.e. increased fatigability) is involved in the feeling of fatigue of Covid-19 patients. Because the causes of this feeling are multi-dimensional, a large battery of tests will allow us to better understand the origin of chronic fatigue. A better knowledge of chronic fatigue etiology and its recovery will allow to optimize rehabilitation treatments to shorten the persistence of chronic fatigue and in fine improve life quality.
Other: Questionnaires
Quality of life Depression Physical pain Social provisions Quality of sleep
Biological: blood test
complete blood count and cytokine concentration, TNF-alpha, LDL oxidized, AOPP, SOD, GPX, catalase, albumin, transthyretin, RBP, transferin, α-1 glycoprotein acide, ferritine, selenium, zinc, magnesium
Other: Maximal effort test
The maximal effort test with VO2max recordings will be assessed during the first visit to the laboratory.
Device: actigraphy
assessment of sleep quality
Device: Neuromuscular evaluation
The maximum isometric force produced by the knee extensors will be measured on the ergometer
the intensity of muscular electrical activity recorded by surface electromyography
Peripheral nerve stimulation
Transcranial magnetic stimulation
Magnetic resonance imaging
Other: stool analysis
analyze the composition of the intestinal microbiote. concerns only the patients of Saint Etienne
Other: food diary
3 days of information to determine nutrient intakes. concerns only the patients of Saint Etienne
Inclusion Criteria for patients who have been in intensive care :
- Diagnosed with Covid-19
- Ventilated in ICU for at least 3 consecutive days
- ICU discharge between 4 and 8 weeks
- Approval received from a physician
- Command of the French language
Inclusion Criteria for patients who have NOT been in intensive care :
- Diagnosed with Covid-19 : positive serological test or positive PCR test following
nasopharyngeal swabbing
- Approval received from a physician
- Command of the French language
Exclusion Criteria:
- Taking neuroactive substances that can alter corticospinal excitability
- Patients with co-morbidities leading to significant fatigue: e.g. cancerous
pathologies, sleep apnea
- Patients with neurodegenerative or neuromuscular disease
- Contraindication to the application of a magnetic field
- Contraindication to the practice of Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Participant is pregnant
- Patients with psychiatric disorders
- Paraplegic and hemiplegic patients
- Addictive disorders
CHU de Grenoble
Grenoble, France
Clinique de la Sauvegarde - Lyon
Lyon, France
Hôpital Croix Rousse - HCL
Lyon, France
Centre Hospitalier de Lyon Sud
Pierre-benite, France
Chu Saint-Etienne
Saint Etienne, France
Clinique Mutualiste Saint Etienne
Saint Etienne, France
Hôpital Henry Gabrielle
Saint-Genis-Laval, France
Hôpital privé de la Loire
Saint-Étienne, France
Jérome MOREL, MD PhD
0477828553 - +33
jerome.morel@chu-st-etienne.fr
Jérome MOREL, MD PhD, Principal Investigator
CHU de Saint Etienne