1. Long-Term Effects of COVID-19 on Health Care Workers 1-Year Post-Discharge in Wuhan.
- Author
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Liao, Tingting, Meng, Daquan, Xiong, Lijuan, Wu, Shuting, Yang, Lian, Wang, Sufei, Zhou, Mei, He, Xinliang, Cao, Xiongjing, Xiong, Huangguo, Fan, Yunzhou, Xia, Jiahong, Hu, Yu, and Jin, Yang
- Subjects
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MEDICAL personnel , *COVID-19 , *PHYSICAL mobility , *POST-traumatic stress disorder , *PULMONARY function tests - Abstract
Introduction: To assess the long-term consequences of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) among health care workers (HCWs) in China (hereafter surviving HCWs). Methods: A total of 303 surviving HCWs were included. Lung (pulmonary function test, 6-min walk test [6MWT], chest CT), physical (St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire [SGRQ], Modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale [mMRC], and Borg scale), and psychiatric functions (Essen Trauma Inventory) were evaluated during the 1-year follow-up. Results: Surviving HCWs had an abnormal diffusion capacity 1 year post-discharge. Participants with a reduced carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO) comprised 43.48%. The proportion of HCWs with a median 6MWT distance below the lower limit of the normal was 19.4%. An abnormal CT pattern was observed in 37.5% of the HCWs. The SGRQ, mMRC, and Borg scores of surviving HCWs, especially those with critical/severe disease, were significantly higher than those in the normal population. Probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was reported in 21.9% of the surviving HCWs. Diffusion capacity impairment was associated with women. Critical/severe illness and nurses were associated with impaired physical function. Conclusions: Most surviving HCWs, especially female HCWs, still had an abnormal diffusion capacity at 1 year. The physical and psychiatric functions of surviving HCWs were significantly worse than those of the healthy population. Long-term follow-up of pulmonary, physical, and psychiatric functions for surviving HCWs is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
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