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Recovery from COVID-19: a sprint or marathon? 6-month follow-up data from online long COVID-19 support group members

Anouk W. Vaes, Yvonne M.J. Goërtz, Maarten Van Herck, Felipe V.C. Machado, Roy Meys, Jeannet M. Delbressine, Sarah Houben-Wilke, Swetlana Gaffron, Dieter Maier, Chris Burtin, Rein Posthuma, Nicole P.H. van Loon, Frits M.E. Franssen, Bita Hajian, Sami O. Simons, Job F.M. van Boven, Frederikus A. Klok, Bart Spaetgens, Claire M.H. Pinxt, Limmie Y.L. Liu, Geertjan Wesseling, Yvonne Spies, Herman Vijlbrief, Alex J. van ’t Hul, Daisy J.A. Janssen, Martijn A. Spruit
ERJ Open Research 2021 7: 00141-2021; DOI: 10.1183/23120541.00141-2021
Anouk W. Vaes
1Dept of Research and Development, Ciro, Horn, The Netherlands
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  • For correspondence: anoukvaes@ciro-horn.nl
Yvonne M.J. Goërtz
1Dept of Research and Development, Ciro, Horn, The Netherlands
2Nutrim School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht, The Netherlands
3Dept of Respiratory Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands
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Maarten Van Herck
1Dept of Research and Development, Ciro, Horn, The Netherlands
2Nutrim School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht, The Netherlands
3Dept of Respiratory Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands
4REVAL – Rehabilitation Research Center, BIOMED – Biomedical Research Institute, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
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Felipe V.C. Machado
1Dept of Research and Development, Ciro, Horn, The Netherlands
2Nutrim School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht, The Netherlands
3Dept of Respiratory Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands
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Roy Meys
1Dept of Research and Development, Ciro, Horn, The Netherlands
2Nutrim School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht, The Netherlands
3Dept of Respiratory Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands
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Jeannet M. Delbressine
1Dept of Research and Development, Ciro, Horn, The Netherlands
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Sarah Houben-Wilke
1Dept of Research and Development, Ciro, Horn, The Netherlands
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Swetlana Gaffron
5Viscovery Software GmbH, Vienna, Austria
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Dieter Maier
6Biomax Informatics AG, Planegg, Germany
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Chris Burtin
4REVAL – Rehabilitation Research Center, BIOMED – Biomedical Research Institute, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
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Rein Posthuma
1Dept of Research and Development, Ciro, Horn, The Netherlands
2Nutrim School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht, The Netherlands
3Dept of Respiratory Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands
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Nicole P.H. van Loon
1Dept of Research and Development, Ciro, Horn, The Netherlands
7Dept of Internal Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands
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Frits M.E. Franssen
1Dept of Research and Development, Ciro, Horn, The Netherlands
2Nutrim School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht, The Netherlands
3Dept of Respiratory Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands
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Bita Hajian
1Dept of Research and Development, Ciro, Horn, The Netherlands
2Nutrim School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht, The Netherlands
3Dept of Respiratory Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands
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Sami O. Simons
2Nutrim School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht, The Netherlands
3Dept of Respiratory Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands
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Job F.M. van Boven
8Dept of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD (GRIAC), University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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Frederikus A. Klok
9Dept of Medicine – Thrombosis and Hemostasis, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Bart Spaetgens
7Dept of Internal Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands
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Claire M.H. Pinxt
7Dept of Internal Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands
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Limmie Y.L. Liu
7Dept of Internal Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands
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Geertjan Wesseling
2Nutrim School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht, The Netherlands
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Yvonne Spies
10Lung Foundation Netherlands, Amersfoort, The Netherlands
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Herman Vijlbrief
10Lung Foundation Netherlands, Amersfoort, The Netherlands
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Alex J. van ’t Hul
11Dept of Pulmonary Disease, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Daisy J.A. Janssen
1Dept of Research and Development, Ciro, Horn, The Netherlands
12Dept of Health Services Research, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
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Martijn A. Spruit
1Dept of Research and Development, Ciro, Horn, The Netherlands
2Nutrim School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht, The Netherlands
3Dept of Respiratory Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands
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  • Article
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Figures

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  • Supplementary Materials
  • FIGURE 1
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    FIGURE 1

    Prevalence and change in the total number of symptoms during the infection and after 3 and 6 months of follow-up. The width of lines is proportional to the flow rate.

  • FIGURE 2
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    FIGURE 2

    Prevalence of symptoms during the infection and after 3 and 6 months of follow-up. HR: heart rate; BW: body weight.

  • FIGURE 3
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    FIGURE 3

    Self-reported health status before the infection and after 3 and 6 months of follow-up. The width of lines is proportional to the flow rate.

  • FIGURE 4
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    FIGURE 4

    Post-coronavirus disease 2019 functional status scale after 3 and 6 months of follow-up. The width of lines is proportional to the flow rate.

  • FIGURE 5
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    FIGURE 5

    Problems on the 5-level EuroQol-5 Dimensions version domains after 3 and 6 months of follow-up.

Tables

  • Figures
  • Supplementary Materials
  • TABLE 1

    Characteristics and outcomes of patients with confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) diagnosis

    Subjects n239
    Women198 (82.8)
    Age years50.0 (39.0–56.0)
    BMI kg·m−226.0 (23.4–30.5)
    Married/living with partner173 (72.4)
    Pre-existing comorbidities
     0142 (59.4)
     162 (25.9)
     ≥235 (14.6)
    Health status before infection
     Good208 (87.0)
     Moderate28 (11.7)
     Poor3 (1.3)
    Time between T0 and completion questionnaire weeks
     T110.4±2.4
     T222.6±2.4
    Number of symptoms
     T015 (11–18)
     T16 (4–9)*
     T26 (3–8)*,#
    Work productivity and activity index
     Percentage of work time missed due to ill health (absenteeism)
      T172.9±35.2
      T252.4±38.4#
     Percentage of impairment while working (presenteeism)
      T166.1±25.8
      T259.7±24.0#
     Overall work impairment due to health (work productivity)
      T189.3±19.4
      T278.6±26.0#
     Activity impairment
      T171.4±21.7
      T259.7±22.8#
    Self-reported poor health
     T01.3
     T125.5*
     T210.5*#
    Post-COVID-19 functional status scale
     Grade
      T12.4±0.9
      T22.2±1.0#
    Quality of life
     EQ-5D index
      T10.645±0.181
      T20.694±0.165#
     EQ-5D index<P5 reference values [23]
      T136.8
      T226.8#
     Today's health status (VAS 0–100) points
      T149±19
      T256±18#
    Received care
     Physiotherapy
      Between T0 and T131.8
      Between T1 and T261.9#
     Rehabilitation
      Between T0 and T14.2
      Between T1 and T211.7#
    Need for help with personal care
     From partner
      Before5.0
      Between T0 and T146.0*
      Between T1 and T221.3*,#
     From family
      Before1.7
      Between T0 and T117.2*
      Between T1 and T27.1*,#

    Data are presented as n (%), median (interquartile range), mean±sd or %, unless otherwise stated. BMI: body mass index; T0: symptom onset; T1: first questionnaire; T2: second questionnaire; P5: percentile five; VAS: visual analogue scale. *: p<0.05 versus before; #: p<0.05 versus T1.

    Supplementary Materials

    • Figures
    • Tables
    • Supplementary Material

      Please note: supplementary material is not edited by the Editorial Office, and is uploaded as it has been supplied by the author.

      Supplementary material 0141-2021_Supplementary_Material

      Supplementary figure 1 0141-2021_Supplementary_Figure_1

      Supplementary figure 2 0141-2021_Supplementary_Figure_2

      Supplementary figure 3 0141-2021_Supplementary_Figure_3

      Supplementary figure 4 0141-2021_Supplementary_Figure_4

      Supplementary figure 5a 0141-2021_Supplementary_Figure_5a

      Supplementary figure 5b 0141-2021_Supplementary_Figure_5b

      Supplementary figure 5c 0141-2021_Supplementary_Figure_5c

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    Recovery from COVID-19: a sprint or marathon? 6-month follow-up data from online long COVID-19 support group members
    Anouk W. Vaes, Yvonne M.J. Goërtz, Maarten Van Herck, Felipe V.C. Machado, Roy Meys, Jeannet M. Delbressine, Sarah Houben-Wilke, Swetlana Gaffron, Dieter Maier, Chris Burtin, Rein Posthuma, Nicole P.H. van Loon, Frits M.E. Franssen, Bita Hajian, Sami O. Simons, Job F.M. van Boven, Frederikus A. Klok, Bart Spaetgens, Claire M.H. Pinxt, Limmie Y.L. Liu, Geertjan Wesseling, Yvonne Spies, Herman Vijlbrief, Alex J. van ’t Hul, Daisy J.A. Janssen, Martijn A. Spruit
    ERJ Open Research Apr 2021, 7 (2) 00141-2021; DOI: 10.1183/23120541.00141-2021

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    Recovery from COVID-19: a sprint or marathon? 6-month follow-up data from online long COVID-19 support group members
    Anouk W. Vaes, Yvonne M.J. Goërtz, Maarten Van Herck, Felipe V.C. Machado, Roy Meys, Jeannet M. Delbressine, Sarah Houben-Wilke, Swetlana Gaffron, Dieter Maier, Chris Burtin, Rein Posthuma, Nicole P.H. van Loon, Frits M.E. Franssen, Bita Hajian, Sami O. Simons, Job F.M. van Boven, Frederikus A. Klok, Bart Spaetgens, Claire M.H. Pinxt, Limmie Y.L. Liu, Geertjan Wesseling, Yvonne Spies, Herman Vijlbrief, Alex J. van ’t Hul, Daisy J.A. Janssen, Martijn A. Spruit
    ERJ Open Research Apr 2021, 7 (2) 00141-2021; DOI: 10.1183/23120541.00141-2021
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