RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Symptoms persisting after hospitalisation for COVID-19: 12 months interim results of the CO-FLOW study
JF ERJ Open Research
JO erjor
FD European Respiratory Society
SP 00355-2022
DO 10.1183/23120541.00355-2022
VO 8
IS 4
A1 L. Martine Bek
A1 Julia C. Berentschot
A1 Majanka H. Heijenbrok-Kal
A1 Susanne Huijts
A1 Michel E. van Genderen
A1 J. Hans Vlake
A1 Jasper van Bommel
A1 Joachim G.J.V. Aerts
A1 Gerard M. Ribbers
A1 Rita J.G. van den Berg-Emons
A1 Merel E. Hellemons
A1 ,
YR 2022
UL http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/8/4/00355-2022.abstract
AB Introduction A large proportion of patients experience a wide range of sequelae after acute COVID-19, especially after severe illness. The long-term health sequelae need to be assessed. Our objective was to longitudinally assess persistence of symptoms and clusters of symptoms up to 12 months after hospitalisation for COVID-19 and to assess determinants of the main persistent symptoms.Methods In this multicenter prospective cohort study patients with COVID-19 are followed up for 2 years with measurements at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months after hospital discharge. Here, we present interim results regarding persistent symptoms up to 12 months.Results We included 492 patients; mean±sd age was 60.2±10.7 years, 335 (68.1%) were males, median length of hospital stay was 11 (6.0–27.0) days. At 3 months after discharge 97.0% of the patients had at least one persisting symptom, this declined to 95.5% and 92.0% at 6 and 12 months, respectively (p=0.010). Muscle weakness, exertional dyspnoea, fatigue, and memory and concentration problems were the most prevalent symptoms with rates over 50% during follow-up. Over time, muscle weakness, hair loss and exertional dyspnoea decreased significantly (p<0.001), while other symptoms such as fatigue, concentration and memory problems, anosmia and ageusia persisted. Symptoms from the physical and respiratory cluster declined significantly over time, in contrast to the fatigue and cognitive symptom clusters.Conclusion The majority of patients experienced COVID-19 sequelae up to 12 months after severe infection. Whereas physical and respiratory symptoms showed slow gradual decline, fatigue and cognitive symptoms did not evidently resolve over time.Over 90% of patients experience #COVID19-related sequelae up to 12 months after hospitalisation. Whereas physical and respiratory symptoms show slow gradual decline, fatigue and cognitive symptoms do not evidently resolve over time. https://bit.ly/3z9I1xK