Osteopathic status in patients with new coronavirus infection <i>COVID</i>-19
Authors: Belash V. O. , Lisenkova N. A. 
Published: December 2021

Introduction. The appearance of COVID-19 has set tasks for healthcare professionals related to the rapid diagnosis and provision of medical care to patients. Currently, intensive study of the clinical and epidemiological features of the disease continues, and of the development of new means of its prevention and treatment. At the same time, it is necessary not only to provide medical care in the acute period of the disease, but also to carry out rehabilitation measures for the consequences of a coronavirus infection. In accordance with the approved clinical recommendations, osteopathic correction in the acute period of an infectious disease is contraindicated. However, there is a potential interest of the possibility of osteopathic correction methods use during the period of convalescence, as well as within the framework of rehabilitation measures after a new coronavirus infection.

At the same time, for objective reasons, there is no data on the structure of somatic dysfunctions in this group of patients in the literature. All of the above has predetermined the purpose of the research.

The aim of the study is to draw up a map of the most common somatic dysfunctions and analyze their relationship with other subjective and objective manifestations of the disease based on the data of the osteopathic status assessing of patients who have undergone a new coronavirus infection COVID-19.

Materials and methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted on the basis of Samara medical and sanitary unit № 2 and on the basis of the Saint-Petersburg «City Mariinsky Hospital» in the period from May 2020 to March 2021. There were 70 patients under observation in the rehabilitation department who had undergone a new coronavirus infection COVID-19. There were assessed the osteopathic status of all patients (by an osteopathic doctor with using personal protective equipment) and the level of anxiety; the data was copied from medical documentation.

Results. Somatic dysfunctions of all three levels of manifestation are revealed in patients with the new coronavirus infections during the convalescence period. The global and regional somatic dysfunctions were distributed almost equally (45,7 and 54,3 %, respectively) in the structure of dominant somatic dysfunctions in patients with new coronavirus infections during the convalescence period. Patients with new coronavirus infections during the convalescence period are characterized by medium and high levels of both situational and personal anxiety. In the course of the work, a moderate positive relationship was established between a global rhythmogenic disorder (violation of the production of a thoracic rhythmic pulse) and a large volume of lung tissue damage (CT-2) according to the multispiral computed tomography of the thoracic cavity, as well as between a global psychoviscerosomatic disorder and a high level of situational anxiety.

Conclusion. Somatic dysfunctions of all three levels of manifestation are revealed in patients with new coronavirus infections during the convalescence period. In addition, this group of patients is characterized by an average and high level of both situational and personal anxiety.

The revealed correlations suggest that the inclusion of osteopathic correction in comprehensive rehabilitation programs for this group of patients may be pathogenetically reasonable.