Table 6 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 as-treated 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

17

26

17

26

     

Current health status (1–5)

2.76 ± 0.75

2.96 ± 0.77

2.29 ± 0.69

2.80 ± 0.91

− 0.47

− 0.16

− 0.31 [− 1.01,0.39]

− 0.41 [− 1.33,0.52]

+

Quality of life (1–4)

3.59 ± 0.51

3.46 ± 0.51

3.71 ± 0.47

3.48 ± 0.65

0.12

0.02

0.10 [− 0.38,0.58]

0.20 [− 0.76,1.15]

+

Satisfaction in general (1–4)

3.24 ± 0.44

3.15 ± 0.61

2.94 ± 0.66

2.96 ± 0.73

− 0.29

− 0.19

− 0.10 [− 0.66,0.46]

− 0.18 [− 1.20,0.84]

−

Satisfaction with health (1–4)

3.24 ± 0.56

2.96 ± 0.53

3.24 ± 0.56

3.13 ± 0.74

0.00

0.16

− 0.16 [− 0.70,0.38]

− 0.30 [− 1.27,0.68]

−

Movement competence* (1–4)

2.98 ± 0.59

2.69 ± 0.79

3.16 ± 0.58

2.65 ± 0.71

0.18

− 0.04

0.22 [− 0.40,0.85]

0.31 [− 0.55,1.17]

+

Control competence* (1–4)

2.61 ± 0.59

2.44 ± 0.67

2.92 ± 0.47

2.50 ± 0.60

0.31

0.06

0.25 [− 0.29,0.79]

0.39 [− 0.45,1.23]

+

Self-regulation competence* (1–4)

2.94 ± 0.52

2.71 ± 0.62

3.10 ± 0.48

2.55 ± 0.64

0.16

− 0.16

0.32 [− 0.21,0.84]

0.54 [− 0.35,1.42]

+

Symptoms of depression† (0–45)

8.12 ± 5.49

11.59 ± 8.33

8.42 ± 7.89

11.88 ± 7.27

0.30

0.29

0.01 [− 6.53, 6.55]

0.00 [− 0.88,0.88]

−

Fatigue# (0–10)

4.50 ± 2.11

4.59 ± 2.11

3.33 ± 2.39

4.50 ± 1.93

− 1.17

− 0.09

− 1.08 [− 3.19,1.04]

− 0.52 [− 1.53,0.50]

+

Concentration disorders# (0–10)

4.10 ± 2.18

4.19 ± 2.46

3.23 ± 1.92

4.06 ± 2.36

− 0.87

− 0.13

− 0.73 [− 3.16,1.69]

− 0.31 [− 1.35,0.72]

+

Difficulty breathing# (0–10)

4.00 ± 2.62

4.20 ± 2.14

3.86 ± 2.27

3.75 ± 1.95

− 0.14

− 0.45

0.31 [− 2.47,3.08]

0.14 [− 1.09,1.36]

−

Headache# (0–10)

4.67 ± 3.06

4.11 ± 2.67

1.80 ± 0.84

4.21 ± 2.72

− 2.87

0.10

− 2.97 [− 7.39,1.45]

− 1.13 [− 2.81,0.55]

+

Current physical performance (0–10)

6.35 ± 1.06

5.23 ± 1.86

6.94 ± 1.60

5.58 ± 1.77

0.59

0.35

0.24 [− 1.21,1.69]

0.14 [− 0.72,1.01]

+

Sleep quality (1–3)

2.00 ± 0.50

2.32 ± 0.56

1.88 ± 0.70

2.25 ± 0.61

− 0.12

− 0.07

− 0.05 [− 0.57,0.48]

− 0.09 [− 1.04,0.87]

+

  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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