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. 2022 Sep;17(6):1641-1649.
doi: 10.1007/s11739-022-02979-x. Epub 2022 Apr 9.

6 and 12 month outcomes in patients following COVID-19-related hospitalization: a prospective monocentric study

Giuseppe Pio Martino #  1 , Devis Benfaremo #  2 , Giuseppina Bitti  1 , Gianluca Valeri  3 , Laura Postacchini  1 , Annalisa Marchetti  1 , Stefano Angelici  1 , Gianluca Moroncini  4
Affiliations

6 and 12 month outcomes in patients following COVID-19-related hospitalization: a prospective monocentric study

Giuseppe Pio Martino et al. Intern Emerg Med. 2022 Sep.

Abstract

The long-term consequences of COVID-19 in those who recover from acute infection requiring hospitalization have not been defined yet. In this study, we aim to describe the long-term symptoms and respiratory outcomes over 12 months in patients hospitalized for severe COVID-19. In this prospective cohort study, patients admitted to hospital for severe COVID-19 were prospectively followed up at 6 and 12 months after discharge from the Hospital of Fermo, Italy. Patients were interviewed for persisting symptoms and underwent physical examination, routine blood test, pulmonary function tests, chest high-resolution CT (HRCT), and 6 min walking test. A total of 64 patients were evaluated and participated in this study. The mean age of participants was 68 years, 41 (64%) were males, and the median body mass index (BMI) was 26 kg/m2. After 6 months, 36% of patients reported persistent dyspnea, 37.5% persistent fatigue, 30.6% hair loss, 14% arthralgia and 11% memory and attention deficits. The rate of these symptoms reduced at the 12 month follow-up. At least 50% of the patients reported anxiety and depression symptoms. At 6 months 57.4% of patients showed reduced DLCO and 21.3% reduced FVC% and improvement at 12 months was noted for FVC but not for DLCO and TLC. Persistent radiographic abnormalities, most commonly ground-glass opacities and interstitial changes, were observed at both timepoints in many patients. Long-term symptoms and pulmonary deficits are common in patients admitted for severe COVID-19. Further studies are needed to assess the clinical significance of long-term consequences of severe COVID-19.

Keywords: COVID-19; Complications; Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome.

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Conflict of interest statement

The Authors declare they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow-chart showing the selection of the study population
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Box-plot graphs showing the improvement of FVC% and the stability of DLCO% between the 6 and 12 month follow-up
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
A Axial CT showing bilateral ground-glass and consolidative opacities and interlobular septal thickening. B At 6 months there is a reduction of ground-glass and consolidative opacities and of interlobular septal thickening. C At 12 months there is a resolution of ground-glass and consolidative opacities and of interlobular septal thickening and the appearance of subpleural curvilinear opacities
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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