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A prospective observational study was carried out to comprehensively examine the health domains in patients suffering from acute COVID-19 three months after the recovery.
A comprehensive health evaluation revealed that a
considerable percentage of COVID-19 infected individuals witness severe
challenges in various health domains 3 months after COVID-19 recovery, thus
requiring continued attention from health care providers.
A
prospective observational study was carried out to comprehensively examine the
health domains in patients suffering from acute COVID-19 three months after the
recovery.
All individuals discharged after coronavirus infection from the medical centre in the Netherlands were welcomed to a multidisciplinary outpatient facility. Furthermore, the non-admitted individuals suffering from the mild disorder but having symptoms lasting for more than six weeks could be referred by general medical practitioners.
A standardized evaluation of the participants was done including estimation of lung function, chest computed tomography/X-ray, six-minute walking test, body composition, and questionnaires on cognitive, quality of life, mental, and health status.
The study included 124 participants (age 59±14 years, 60% men); 27 having mild, 51 having moderate, 26 having severe, and 20 having a critical disease. In about 42% of discharged subjects, the lung diffusion capacity was found to be below the lower limit of normal. Notably, 99 % of discharged subjects had lowered ground-glass opacification on repeat computed tomography imaging, and normal chest X-rays were witnessed in 93% of patients suffering from mild disorders.
In 91% of discharged subjects, the residual pulmonary parenchymal abnormalities were present and linked with minimized lung diffusion capacity. In this study, the proportion of patients having reduced fat-free mass index, declined exercise capacity, and problems in mental and/or cognitive function are shown in the following table:
The health status was very poor, specifically in the domains
of quality of life (72%), fatigue (69%), and functional impairment (64%).
Thus, numerous problems in several health domains exist in a
considerable number of ex-COVID-19 patients. Furthermore, there is a
requisition of longer follow-up studies to interpret natural trajectories of
coronavirus, to find predictors of complicated long-term trajectories of
recovery, and to create strategies to minimize long-term COVID-19 death.
Clinical Infectious Diseases
Comprehensive health assessment three months after recovery from acute COVID-19
Bram van den Borst et al.
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