Brazilian study finds that CPAP therapy shows promise in restoring lung strength and exercise ability in COVID-19 survivors

Medical News: Non-Invasive Breathing Support Found to Improve Lung Health and Exercise Tolerance in COVID 19 Survivors
A new clinical study from researchers at the University of Campinas and São Francisco University in Brazil has brought promising news for individuals recovering from COVID-19. The research team, which included scientists from the Center for Research in Pediatrics at the University of Campinas and the Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Genetics at São Francisco University, investigated the effects of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy on people who had recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection but continued to suffer from respiratory issues.
 
The study specifically focused on the role of non-invasive ventilation (NIV), delivered via CPAP, in improving lung function, exercise capacity, heart rate, and the perception of breathlessness in people months after recovering from the acute stage of COVID-19. This Medical News report delves into how even a single session of 30-minute CPAP use significantly improved key physiological functions in both mild and severely affected individuals.
 
Addressing Lingering Post COVID Respiratory Problems
Many who recover from COVID-19 continue to experience long-term symptoms such as breathlessness, fatigue, and reduced ability to perform physical activities. These lingering issues, commonly referred to as post-COVID-19 syndrome, are often related to damage done to the lungs and respiratory system during the viral infection.
 
To explore solutions, the researchers studied 50 participants between the ages of 18 and 70 who had contracted COVID-19 at least three months before the study began. They were divided into two equal groups - 25 individuals who experienced mild symptoms during infection and 25 who had severe cases requiring hospitalization and ventilatory support. Each participant underwent a series of tests before and after receiving CPAP therapy for 30 minutes at home.
 
Remarkable Improvements After Just One CPAP Session
The results were compelling. In the group that had severe COVID-19, lung function improved significantly after using CPAP. The forced vital capacity (FVC), a key measurement of lung strength, increased, while other lung performance metrics like the ratio of exhaled air in the first second (FEV1/FVC) and air flow rate at 75% of lung volume (FEF75%) also showed marked improvement. Even participants in the mild group saw gains, particularly in their FEV1/FVC ratio and physical endurance.
 
One of the most noticeable outcomes was enhanced exercise tolerance. Both mild and severe cases were able to complete more steps in a two-minute step test following CPAP use. Individuals in the severe group increased their step count from 53 to 59, while those in the mild group improved from 57 to 62 steps. These numbers may seem modest, but in respiratory rehabilitation, even small gains represent meaningful progress in quality of life.
 
Breathlessness and Vital Signs Show Mixed Results
While lung performance and physical endurance improved, changes in heart rate, oxygen saturation, and perceived dyspnea (shortness of breath) measured using the Borg scale were less consistent. Participants across both groups experienced the expected rise in heart rate and breathlessness immediately after exercise, followed by recovery within minutes. However, no significant differences in these parameters were found between pre- and post-CPAP sessions.
 
Interestingly, those in the severe category still showed lower oxygen saturation levels compared to the mild group, suggesting residual lung damage or fibrosis may continue to affect oxygen absorption.
 
Why CPAP Therapy Might Work
CPAP therapy works by keeping the airways open using mild air pressure, which improves airflow into the lungs and allows for better oxygen exchange. The study suggests that this mechanical support helps reopen collapsed or underperforming air sacs in the lungs, improving breathing and gas exchange even months after infection. It may also help by redistributing blood flow from overworked breathing muscles to other parts of the body, thereby improving physical endurance.
 
Important Limitations but Encouraging Outlook
The researchers acknowledge limitations. The study used a small, non-randomized sample and examined only short-term results from a single CPAP session. Long-term benefits and potential side effects require further investigation. Still, the results are encouraging and suggest CPAP therapy might be a valuable tool for rehabilitation in post-COVID patients, especially those struggling with breathing difficulties and reduced activity levels.
 
Conclusion
The study strongly indicates that even a single 30-minute session of CPAP therapy can bring about measurable improvements in lung function and exercise capacity among COVID-19 survivors. These findings offer hope that non-invasive ventilation could be incorporated into rehabilitation programs for people with lingering respiratory symptoms after COVID-19. While more extensive and longer-term studies are needed to confirm these effects, CPAP appears to be a safe, simple, and effective method to assist recovery.
 
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Clinical Practice.
https://www.mdpi.com/2039-7283/15/4/73
 
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