SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess exercise capacity, lung and physical function in COVID-19 survivors, and the association of lesion-level characteristics assessed by chest computed tomography, probable sarcopenia, and percentage of diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide with clinical and functional variables. METHODS: This study was conducted in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. All patients had a laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. The sociodemographic characteristics, COVID-19 exposure history, pulmonary function, computed tomography, and functionality of the participants between 1 and 3 months of diagnosis of the disease were collected. RESULTS: A total of 135 patients after COVID-19 recovery were included in this study. Probable sarcopenia, reduction in percentage of diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide, and a lower 6-min walk distance were observed after COVID-19 infection. Computed tomography>50% was associated with a longer length of stay and a lower percentage of diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide. Probable sarcopenia diagnosis was associated with a worse percentage of the predicted 6-min walk distance in relation to the predicted, absolute 6-min walk distance (m), percentage of diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide, and percentage of total lung capacity. CONCLUSION: Muscle disability and lung dysfunction are common in COVID-19 survivors. Hospitalization was associated with the worst muscle force and diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide. Computed tomography characteristics could be a marker of prolonged hospital stay after the acute phase of COVID-19. Additionally, the probable diagnosis of sarcopenia could be a marker of impact on walking distance. These results highlight the need for long-term follow-up of those patients and rehabilitation programs.

RESUMO JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: A dor é considerada como uma experiência sensorial e emocional desagradável, associada a uma lesão efetiva ou potencial dos tecidos. Avaliar a dor é muito complexo, principalmente quando se trata de pacientes ventilados mecanicamente na unidade de terapia intensiva. No entanto, existem diversas escalas para avaliam a dor desses pacientes. Dessa forma, este estudo teve como objetivo sumarizar dados acerca das características psicométricas das escalas de avaliação de dor na unidade de terapia intensiva. CONTEÚDO: Foi realizada uma revisão sistemática através da pesquisa nas bases de dados Pubmed, LILACS, Cochrane Library e SciELO, foram incluídos os estudos que verificaram a confiabilidade, a validade, reprodutibilidade e a capacidade de resposta das escalas de avaliação de dor na unidade de terapia intensiva. Dos 58 estudos incluídos, o alfa de Cronbach variou de 0,31 a 0,96 e o coeficiente de correlação intraclasse variou de 0,25 a 1,00. Houve adaptação transcultural de 28 estudos nas versões brasileira, chinesa, italiana, sueca, portuguesa, inglesa, holandesa, turca, persa, dinamarquesa, polonesa, espanhola e grega. CONCLUSÃO: Os estudos publicados até o momento demonstraram uma lacuna para indicar a superioridade entre as escalas que avaliam dor em pacientes em ventilação mecânica. No Brasil, a maior parte dos estudos ressaltou que as escalas de avaliação da dor apresentam índices de validade, confiabilidade e reprodutibilidade satisfatórios. Assim, a decisão entre a escala a ser utilizada deve considerar facilidade de aplicação e a familiaridade da equipe.

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage. Thus, pain is difficult to evaluate, especially in patients undergoing mechanical ventilation in an intensive care unit. However, there are several instruments to assess these patients’ pain. Thus, the aims of the present study were described and characterize the psychometric characteristics of the intensive care unit pain assessment scales. CONTENTS: A systematic review in the electronic databases of Pubmed, LILACS, Cochrane Library and Scielo was performed, without time restrictions. The focus of this evidence synthesis is to examine the validity, reproducibility, and responsiveness of intensive care unit pain scales. 58 studies were included. Cronbach alpha ranged from 0.31 to 0.96 and the intraclass correlation coefficient from 0.25 to 1.00. A cross-cultural adaptation was performed in 28 studies for use in language Portuguese (Brazil), Chinese, Italian, Swedish, Portuguese (Portugal), English, Dutch, Turkish, Persian, Danish, Polish, Spanish and Greek. CONCLUSION: Among the available scales to measure pain in non-responsive patients, the data is not enough to indicate the superiority between them. In Brazil, most studies demonstrated that the pain scales had satisfactory validity, reliability, and reproducibility rates. Thus, when deciding which scale to use, the convenience of application and familiarity of the team should be considered.

Resumo Justificativa e objetivos: A Escala Comportamental de Dor (Behavioral Pain Scale) é uma ferramenta de avaliação da dor para pacientes não-comunicativos e sedados em unidade de tratamento intensivo (UTI). A falta de uma escala brasileira para a avaliação da dor em adultos sob ventilação mecânica justifica a relevância deste estudo que teve por objetivo validar a versão brasileira da Escala Comportamental de Dor (ECD), bem como correlacionar seus escores com os registros de parâmetros fisiológicos, nível de sedação e gravidade da doença. Métodos: Vinte e cinco pacientes adultos internados em UTI foram incluídos neste estudo. A versão brasileira da ECD (previamente traduzida e adaptada culturalmente) e os registros dos parâmetros fisiológicos foram realizados simultaneamente por dois avaliadores durante o repouso, durante a limpeza dos olhos (estímulo não doloroso) e durante a aspiração endotraqueal (estímulo doloroso). Resultados: Valores elevados do coeficiente de coeficiente de responsividade (coeficiente = 3,22) foram observados. O coeficiente alfa de Cronbach do escore total da ECD durante a limpeza dos olhos e aspiração endotraqueal foi de 0,8. O coeficiente de correlação intraclasse do escore total da ECD foi ≥ 0,8 durante a limpeza dos olhos e aspiração endotraqueal. Houve um escore significativamente mais alto na ECD durante a aplicação do estímulo doloroso em comparação com o período de descanso (p ≤ 0,0001). No entanto, não foram observadas correlações entre dor e parâmetros hemodinâmicos, nível de sedação e gravidade da doença. Conclusões: Este estudo pioneiro de validação da ECD brasileira apresenta índices satisfatórios de consistência interna, confiabilidade entre avaliadores, responsividade e validade. Portanto, a versão da ECD brasileira foi considerada um instrumento válido para ser usado em pacientes adultos sedados e ventilados mecanicamente no Brasil.

Abstract Background and objectives: The Behavioral Pain Scale is a pain assessment tool for uncommunicative and sedated Intensive Care Unit patients. The lack of a Brazilian scale for pain assessment in adults mechanically ventilated justifies the relevance of this study that aimed to validate the Brazilian version of Behavioral Pain Scale as well as to correlate its scores with the records of physiological parameters, sedation level and severity of disease. Methods: Twenty-five Intensive Care Unit adult patients were included in this study. The Brazilian Behavioral Pain Scale version (previously translated and culturally adapted) and the recording of physiological parameters were performed by two investigators simultaneously during rest, during eye cleaning (non-painful stimulus) and during endotracheal suctioning (painful stimulus). Results: High values of responsiveness coefficient (coefficient = 3.22) were observed. The Cronbach's alpha of total Behavioral Pain Scale score at eye cleaning and endotracheal suctioning was 0.8. The intraclass correlation coefficient of total Behavioral Pain Scale score was ≥ 0.8 at eye cleaning and endotracheal suctioning. There was a significant highest Behavioral Pain Scale score during application of painful procedure when compared with rest period (p ≤ 0.0001). However, no correlations were observed between pain and hemodynamic parameters, sedation level, and severity of disease. Conclusions: This pioneer validation study of Brazilian Behavioral Pain Scale exhibits satisfactory index of internal consistency, interrater reliability, responsiveness and validity. Therefore, the Brazilian Behavioral Pain Scale version was considered a valid instrument for being used in adult sedated and mechanically ventilated patients in Brazil.