Coronaltitude - Multicentric Evaluation of the Impact on Hypoxia Sensitivity of Patients With COVID-19

In this study, the focus will be on the portion of COVID-19 survivors which contemplates to travel to and (temporarily) reside in high altitude regions (\>2500m). It is well known that as altitude increases, the barometric pressure falls, proportionally paralleled by a decreasing partial pressure of oxygen. At high altitude, this leads to a condition which is referred to as a hypobaric hypoxic environment. The dramatic drop in partial pressure of inspired oxygen and subsequent reduction in arterial partial pressure of oxygen implicates significant adjustments for the human body to survive at high altitude. In order to study the possible long-term effects of COVID-19 on oxygen transport physiology in these patients, the investigators will focus on the eventual cardiorespiratory and neurological consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection and relate them to the physiological demands placed on the body by hypoxia at high altitude. This case-control study will be conducted by means of the 'Richalet Test', a hypoxia cardiorespiratory exercise test which has been validated for mountain medicine consultations to detect patients at risk of developing an inadequate response to hypoxia at high altitude. From the patients who came for consultation between 2015 and 2020, participants have been recruited by mail for the Coronaltitude study. All included participants, divided into those having suffered COVID-19 (COVID+ group) and those having stayed free of COVID-19 (control group), will retake an altitude mountain consultation. Results will be compared in between and within both groups with previous performances to determine if the response to hypoxia has changed in people having undergone COVID-19.