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. 2021 Apr;8(1):e000908.
doi: 10.1136/bmjresp-2021-000908.

Symptomatic, biochemical and radiographic recovery in patients with COVID-19

Patrick Mallia #  1   2 , Jamilah Meghji  3   4 , Brandon Wong  3 , Kartik Kumar  3 , Victoria Pilkington  3 , Shaan Chhabra  3 , Ben Russell  3 , Jian Chen  3 , Karthikan Srikanthan  3 , Mirae Park  3 , Harriet Owles  3 , Felicity Liew  3 , Joana Alcada  3 , Laura Martin  3 , Meg Coleman  3 , Sarah Elkin  3 , Clare Ross  3 , Shweta Agrawal  3 , Thomas Gardiner  3 , Aaron Bell  3 , Alice White  3 , Dominic Hampson  3 , Gauri Vithlani  3 , Kavina Manalan  3 , Solange Bramer  5 , Alejandra Martin Segura  5 , Anushree Kucheria  5 , Prashanthi Ratnakumar  3 , Alexander Sheeka  3 , Lavanya Anandan  3 , Susan Copley  6 , Georgina Russell  3 , Chloe I Bloom  2 , Onn Min Kon #  3   2
Affiliations

Symptomatic, biochemical and radiographic recovery in patients with COVID-19

Patrick Mallia et al. BMJ Open Respir Res. 2021 Apr.

Abstract

Background: The symptoms, radiography, biochemistry and healthcare utilisation of patients with COVID-19 following discharge from hospital have not been well described.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of 401 adult patients attending a clinic following an index hospital admission or emergency department attendance with COVID-19. Regression models were used to assess the association between characteristics and persistent abnormal chest radiographs or breathlessness.

Results: 75.1% of patients were symptomatic at a median of 53 days post discharge and 72 days after symptom onset and chest radiographs were abnormal in 47.4%. Symptoms and radiographic abnormalities were similar in PCR-positive and PCR-negative patients. Severity of COVID-19 was significantly associated with persistent radiographic abnormalities and breathlessness. 18.5% of patients had unscheduled healthcare visits in the 30 days post discharge.

Conclusions: Patients with COVID-19 experience persistent symptoms and abnormal blood biomarkers with a gradual resolution of radiological abnormalities over time. These findings can inform patients and clinicians about expected recovery times and plan services for follow-up of patients with COVID-19.

Keywords: COVID-19.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

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