Table 5 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 per-protocol 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

14

23

14

23

     

Current health status (1–5)

2.86 ± 0.77

2.96 ± 0.77

2.21 ± 0.70

2.77 ± 0.92

− 0.64

− 0.18

− 0.46 [− 1.23,0.32]

− 0.60 [− 1.62,0.42]

+

Quality of life (1–4)

3.57 ± 0.51

3.48 ± 0.51

3.64 ± 0.50

3.55 ± 0.60

0.07

0.07

0.00 [− 0.51,0.52]

0.01 [− 1.01,1.02]

−

Satisfaction in general (1–4)

3.29 ± 0.47

3.22 ± 0.60

2.93 ± 0.73

3.00 ± 0.76

− 0.36

− 0.22

− 0.14 [− 0.77,0.49]

− 0.26 [− 1.40,0.89]

−

Satisfaction with health (1–4)

3.21 ± 0.58

3.00 ± 0.52

3.14 ± 0.53

3.19 ± 0.75

− 0.07

0.19

− 0.26 [− 0.85,0.33]

− 0.48 [− 1.56,0.60]

−

Movement competence* (1–4)

3.00 ± 0.56

2.70 ± 0.84

3.16 ± 0.54

2.64 ± 0.74

0.16

− 0.05

0.22 [− 0.48,0.92]

0.29 [− 0.64,1.21]

+

Control competence* (1–4)

2.60 ± 0.62

2.41 ± 0.66

2.91 ± 0.50

2.50 ± 0.62

0.31

0.09

0.22 [− 0.38,0.81]

0.34 [− 0.59,1.26]

+

Self− regulation competence* (1–4)

2.94 ± 0.52

2.75 ± 0.64

3.05 ± 0.46

2.58 ± 0.65

0.11

− 0.17

0.28 [− 0.30,0.85]

0.47 [− 0.50,1.44]

+

Symptoms of depression† (0–45)

8.58 ± 5.62

11.27 ± 8.23

8.94 ± 8.21

12.04 ± 7.12

0.36

0.78

− 0.42 [− 7.57,6.74]

− 0.06 [− 1.03,0.92]

−

Fatigue# (0–10)

4.82 ± 1.89

4.85 ± 2.03

3.10 ± 1.97

4.52 ± 1.94

− 1.72

− 0.33

− 1.39 [− 3.51,0.72]

− 0.71 [− 1.80,0.37]

+

Concentration disorders# (0–10)

4.50 ± 2.27

4.32 ± 2.47

3.20 ± 1.93

4.00 ± 2.42

− 1.30

− 0.32

− 0.98 [− 3.71,1.74]

− 0.41 [− 1.56,0.73]

+

Difficulty breathing# (0–10)

4.17 ± 2.64

4.31 ± 2.29

3.20 ± 1.64

3.64 ± 1.82

− 0.97

− 0.66

− 0.30 [− 3.38,2.78]

− 0.13 [− 1.45,1.19]

+

Headache# (0–10)

4.67 ± 3.06

4.11 ± 2.67

1.75 ± 0.96

4.23 ± 2.83

− 2.92

0.12

− 3.04 [− 7.82,1.74]

− 1.30 [− 2.97,0.66]

+

Current physical performance (0–10)

6.14 ± 1.03

5.30 ± 1.87

6.93 ± 1.64

5.57 ± 1.62

0.79

0.26

0.52 [− 1.02,2.07]

0.32 [− 0.62,1.26]

+

Sleep quality (1–3)

2.00 ± 0.55

2.36 ± 0.58

1.93 ± 0.73

2.29 ± 0.64

− 0.07

− 0.08

0.01 [− 0.60,0.61]

0.01 [− 1.02,1.04]

−

  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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