Scientific Reports (Nov 2021)

Long-term sequelae are highly prevalent one year after hospitalization for severe COVID-19

  • Mattia Bellan,
  • Alessio Baricich,
  • Filippo Patrucco,
  • Patrizia Zeppegno,
  • Carla Gramaglia,
  • Piero Emilio Balbo,
  • Alessandro Carriero,
  • Chiara Santa Amico,
  • Gian Carlo Avanzi,
  • Michela Barini,
  • Marco Battaglia,
  • Simone Bor,
  • Vincenzo Cantaluppi,
  • Giuseppe Cappellano,
  • Federico Ceruti,
  • Annalisa Chiocchetti,
  • Elisa Clivati,
  • Mara Giordano,
  • Daria Cuneo,
  • Eleonora Gambaro,
  • Eleonora Gattoni,
  • Alberto Loro,
  • Marcello Manfredi,
  • Umberto Morosini,
  • Francesco Murano,
  • Elena Paracchini,
  • Giuseppe Patti,
  • David James Pinato,
  • Davide Raineri,
  • Roberta Rolla,
  • Pier Paolo Sainaghi,
  • Stefano Tricca,
  • Mario Pirisi

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-01215-4
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 1
pp. 1 – 10

Abstract

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Abstract Many coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) survivors show symptoms months after acute illness. The aim of this work is to describe the clinical evolution of Covid-19, one year after discharge. We performed a prospective cohort study on 238 patients previously hospitalized for Covid-19 pneumonia in 2020 who already underwent clinical follow-up 4 months post-Covid-19. 200 consented to participate to a 12-months clinical assessment, including: pulmonary function tests with diffusing lung capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO); post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptoms evaluation by the Impact of Event Scale (IES); motor function evaluation (by Short Physical Performance Battery and 2 min walking test); chest Computed Tomography (CT). After 366 [363–369] days, 79 patients (39.5%) reported at least one symptom. A DLCO < 80% was observed in 96 patients (49.0%). Severe DLCO impairment (< 60%) was reported in 20 patients (10.2%), related to extent of CT scan abnormalities. Some degree of motor impairment was observed in 25.8% of subjects. 37/200 patients (18.5%) showed moderate-to-severe PTS symptoms. In the time elapsed from 4 to 12 months after hospital discharge, motor function improves, while respiratory function does not, being accompanied by evidence of lung structural damage. Symptoms remain highly prevalent one year after acute illness.