Chemotherapy and COVID-19: Impact on Health, Strength, and Cardiovascular Risk in Cancer Patients

Abstract

Abstract Objective: To evaluate and describe the phase angle profile and anthropometric health and fitness indicators of patients undergoing chemotherapy. Materials and Method: The sample included 106 adult and elderly cancer patients, with different types of cancer, undergoing chemotherapy treatment, of both sexes (71 women and 35 men). They underwent anthropometric assessment, tetrapolar bioimpedance, anthropometry, handgrip dynamometry and the international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ). Results: After the analysis, the Body Mass Index (BMI) showed that 49% had changes in ideal body mass indices (13% below and 36% above ideal). The waist-to-hip ratio of most patients (63.7%) indicated a high (36.4%) and very high (27.3%) risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, with only 27.3% being moderate and 9.1% Low %, with higher risk values in women. In body composition, 62.9% of patients showed important changes in body fat percentage (22.9% below and 35% above recommended), in addition to the high prevalence of reduction in skeletal muscle mass, reaching 76% of those evaluated, indicating possible development of sarcopenia, being more evident in women. The majority of patients also had inadequate strength levels (63.6%), both men and women. Men are approximately 4 times more likely to have an insufficient level of strength. The phase angle with an average below the recommended level was found in 94.8% of the sample. The level of physical activity assessed demonstrated 100% sedentary lifestyle. Conclusion: With the investigation of the variables proposed in this study, we concluded that patients undergoing chemotherapy during the COVID-19 pandemic period had an insufficient level of physical activity, an inadequate level of muscle strength, anthropometric indices and body composition with negative changes, increased cardiovascular risk and low phase angle of reference values in the majority of the sample, with women having the most unfavorable profile. The research project was approved by the institutional review board, no. 5.069.269.