General

Persistent Symptoms in Patients After Acute COVID-19 

Carfì A, Bernabei R, Landi F; Gemelli Against COVID-19 Post-Acute Care Study Group. JAMA. 2020 Aug 11;324(6):603-605. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.12603. PMID: 32644129; PMCID: PMC7349096.

From April 21 to May 29, 2020, 143 patients were included in a post-hospitalization follow-up of COVID-19 in Italy. The mean age was 56.5 (SD, 14.6) years (range, 19-84 years), and 53 (37%) were women. During hospitalization, 72.7% of participants had evidence of interstitial pneumonia. The mean length of hospital stay was 13.5 (SD, 9.7) days; 21 patients (15%) received noninvasive ventilation and 7 patients (5%) received invasive ventilation. At a mean of 60.3 (SD, 13.6) days after start of symptoms, only 18 (12.6%) were completely free of any COVID-19–related symptom, while 32% had 1 or 2 symptoms and 55% had 3 or more. Individuals reported persistent fatigue (53.1%), dyspnea (43.4%), joint pain, (27.3%) and chest pain (21.7%). Patients also had a worsened quality of life in 44.1% of cases. 

Link to study  : Persistent Symptoms in Patients After Acute COVID-19

6-month consequences of COVID-19 in patients discharged from hospital: a cohort study 

Huang C, Huang L, Wang Y, Li X, Ren L, Gu X, Kang L, Guo L, Liu M, Zhou X, Luo J, Huang Z, Tu S, Zhao Y, Chen L, Xu D, Li Y, Li C, Peng L, Li Y, Xie W, Cui D, Shang L, Fan G, Xu J, Wang G, Wang Y, Zhong J, Wang C, Wang J, Zhang D, Cao B. Lancet. 2021 Jan 16;397(10270):220-232. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)32656-8. Epub 2021 Jan 8. PMID: 33428867; PMCID: PMC7833295. 

Patients who were discharged from Jin Yin-tan Hospital (Wuhan, China) between Jan 7 and May 29, 2020 were contacted at 6 months from infection. Out of the 1733 participants (median age 57·0 (IQR 47·0–65·0) years and 52% were men), 76% had at least one symptom at follow-up. Patients commonly reported fatigue or muscle weakness (63%), sleep difficulties (26%) and anxiety or depression (23%). 

Link to study  : 6-month consequences of COVID-19 in patients discharged from hospital: a cohort study

1-year outcomes in hospital survivors with COVID-19: a longitudinal cohort study

Huang L, Yao Q, Gu X, Wang Q, Ren L, Wang Y, Hu P, Guo L, Liu M, Xu J, Zhang X, Qu Y, Fan Y, Li X, Li C, Yu T, Xia J, Wei M, Chen L, Li Y, Xiao F, Liu D, Wang J, Wang X, Cao B. Lancet. 2021 Aug 28;398(10302):747-758. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)01755-4. PMID: 34454673; PMCID: PMC8389999. 

Patients who were discharged from Jin Yin-tan Hospital (Wuhan, China) between Jan 7 and May 29, 2020 were contacted at 6 and 12 months from their infection. Out of the 1 276 participants completing both visits (median age 59·0 years (IQR 49·0-67·0) and 53% were men), 68% had at least one sequelae symptom (831/1227) at 6 months and 49% (620/1272) at 12 months (p<0·0001). The health status of patients was still lower than in the control population, and 88% (422/479) of patients who were employed before COVID-19 had returned to their original work at 12 months. Compared with men, women had an odds ratio OR of 1·43 (95% CI 1·04-1·96) for fatigue or muscle weakness, OR 2·00 (1·48-2·69) for anxiety or depression, and OR 2·97 (1·50-5·88) for diffusion impairment. 

Link to study : 1-year outcomes in hospital survivors with COVID-19: a longitudinal cohort study