Table 3 Baseline (T0) and follow-up (T1) means and standard deviation (SD) in intervention and control group, difference between T1 and T0 within groups, difference in differences of intervention and control group with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95%-CI) of self-rated symptom-related and psychosocial parameters in intention-to-treat analysis.

From: Feasibility of an unsupervised aerobic exercise training program for participants with persistent symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection

Parameter name (range)

Intervention baseline (T0)

Mean ± SD

Control baseline (T0)

Mean ± SD

Intervention follow-up (T1)

Mean ± SD

Control follow-up (T1)

Mean ± SD

Difference intervention

T1-T0

Difference control

T1-T0

Difference in differences (DID) T1-T0 [95%-CI]

Difference in differences (DID) T1-T0 [95%-CI} standardized§

Direction of DID$

N

26

28

26

28

     

Current health status (1–5)

2.88 ± 0.77

2.86 ± 0.76

2.54 ± 0.81

2.78 ± 0.89

− 0.35

− 0.08

− 0.27 [− 0.89,0.35]

− 0.35 [− 1.18,0.47]

+

Quality of life (1–4)

3.50 ± 0.58

3.50 ± 0.51

3.62 ± 0.57

3.59 ± 0.57

0.12

0.09

0.02 [− 0.41,0.45]

0.03 [− 1.18,0.47]

+

Satisfaction in general (1–4)

3.23 ± 0.59

3.21 ± 0.57

3.04 ± 0.72

3.00 ± 0.68

− 0.19

− 0.21

0.02 [− 0.47,0.51]

0.04 [− 0.82,0.90]

−

Satisfaction with health (1–4)

3.08 ± 0.63

3.04 ± 0.51

3.12 ± 0.59

3.23 ± 0.71

0.04

0.20

− 0.16 [− 0.63,0.31]

− 0.28 [− 1.11,0.56]

−

Movement competence* (1–4)

2.90 ± 0.67

2.62 ± 0.87

3.07 ± 0.62

2.68 ± 0.74

0.17

0.06

0.12 [− 0.45,0.69]

0.15 [− 0.57,0.87]

+

Control competence* (1–4)

2.62 ± 0.70

2.40 ± 0.62

2.87 ± 0.62

2.50 ± 0.60

0.25

0.10

0.15 [− 0.34,0.64]

0.23 [− 0.52,0.97]

+

Self-regulation competence* (1–4)

2.81 ± 0.61

2.80 ± 0.63

2.91 ± 0.60

2.65 ± 0.67

0.11

− 0.16

0.26 [− 0.23,0.75]

0.43 [− 0.37,1.22]

+

Symptoms of depression (0–45)

9.64 ± 6.39

10.14 ± 7.95

8.43 ± 7.32

10.89 ± 7.18

− 1.21

0.75

− 1.96 [− 7.55,3.63]

− 0.27 [− 1.05,0.51]

+

Fatigue# (0–10)

4.81 ± 1.94

4.70 ± 2.05

3.76 ± 2.02

4.40 ± 2.16

− 1.04

− 0.30

− 0.75 [− 2.53,1.03]

− 0.38 [− 1.28,0.52]

+

Concentration disorders# (0–10)

4.41 ± 2.12

4.04 ± 2.34

3.53 ± 1.92

3.86 ± 2.38

− 0.88

− 0.18

− 0.70 [− 2.76,1.36]

− 0.31 [− 1.24,0.61]

+

Difficulty breathing# (0–10)

4.40 ± 1.96

4.41 ± 2.29

3.33 ± 1.87

3.83 ± 1.92

− 1.07

− 0.58

− 0.49 [− 2.58,1.60]

− 0.23 [− 1.22,0.76]

+

Headache# (0–10)

4.57 ± 2.82

4.10 ± 2.51

2.00 ± 1.26

4.07 ± 2.69

− 2.57

− 0.03

− 2.54 [− 6.05,0.98]

− 0.99 [− 2.36,0.38]

+

Current physical performance (0–10)

5.46 ± 1.77

5.39 ± 1.89

6.77 ± 1.66

5.50 ± 1.82

1.31

0.11

1.20 [− 0.17,2.57]

0.66 [− 0.09,1.41]

+

Sleep quality (1–3)

2.12 ± 0.59

2.30 ± 0.54

2.04 ± 0.60

2.19 ± 0.63

− 0.08

− 0.10

0.03 [− 0.43,0.48]

0.05 [− 0.76, 0.86]

−

  1. Current health status (1–5 scale with 1 representing “very good” and 5 “bad”), quality of life (1–4 scale with 1 meaning “very bad” and 4 “good”), satisfaction with life in general (1–4 scale with 1 representing “very dissatisfied” and 4 “very satisfied”), satisfaction with health (1–4 scale with 1 meaning “very bad” and 4 “good”), *Sub-competence of physical activity-related health competence (by Pfeifer et al. 2013) presented in mean scale (higher value indicating higher competence), symptoms of depression rated by 15-item Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) with a cut-off value of > 17 representing depressive conditions, #current symptoms related to SARS-CoV-2 infection (higher values indicating stronger impairment), current physical performance (0–10 scale with 0 representing “very restricted” and 10 representing “very powerful”), sleep quality ( 1–3 scale with 1 meaning “very good” and 3 “very bad”), § Difference in difference (DID) per standard deviation (SD) of the analysis population at study baseline (T0), $ “+” means direction of effect consistent to a positive DID ((T1-T0 intervention group) - (T1-T0 control group)) with a stronger positive difference (T1-T0) in the intervention group for parameters where higher values represent better health/wellbeing/fitness or consistent to a negative DID with a stronger negative difference in the intervention group for parameters where lower values represent better health/wellbeing/fitness and “−” direction of effect consistent to a positive DID ((T1-T0 intervention group) - (T1-T0 control group)) with a stronger positive difference (T1-T0) in the intervention group for parameters where higher values represent better health/wellbeing/fitness or consistent to a negative DID with a stronger negative difference in the intervention group for parameters where lower values represent better health/wellbeing/fitness.
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