Back to Search
Start Over
Long-term clinical follow-up of patients suffering from moderate-to-severe COVID-19 infection: a monocentric prospective observational cohort study.
- Source :
-
International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases [Int J Infect Dis] 2021 Aug; Vol. 109, pp. 209-216. Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 Jul 14. - Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- Objectives: Various symptoms and considerable organ dysfunction persist following infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Uncertainty remains about the potential mid- and long-term health sequelae. This prospective study of patients hospitalized with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Liège University Hospital, Belgium aimed to determine the persistent consequences of COVID-19.<br />Methods: Patients admitted to the University Hospital of Liège with moderate-to-severe confirmed COVID-19, discharged between 2 March and 1 October 2020, were recruited prospectively. Follow-up at 3 and 6 months after hospital discharge included demographic and clinical data, biological data, pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and high-resolution computed tomography (CT) scans of the chest.<br />Results: In total, 199 individuals were included in the analysis. Most patients received oxygen supplementation (80.4%). Six months after discharge, 47% and 32% of patients still had exertional dyspnoea and fatigue. PFTs at 3-month follow-up revealed a reduced diffusion capacity of carbon monoxide (mean 71.6 ± 18.6%), and this increased significantly at 6-month follow-up (P<0.0001). Chest CT scans showed a high prevalence (68.9% of the cohort) of persistent abnormalities, mainly ground glass opacities. Duration of hospitalization, intensive care unit admission and mechanical ventilation were not associated with the persistence of symptoms 3 months after discharge.<br />Conclusion: The prevalence of persistent symptoms following hospitalization with COVID-19 is high and stable for up to 6 months after discharge. However, biological, functional and iconographic abnormalities improved significantly over time.<br />Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement None declared.<br /> (Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)
- Subjects :
- Cohort Studies
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Prospective Studies
SARS-CoV-2
COVID-19
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1878-3511
- Volume :
- 109
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 34273510
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2021.07.016