BMC Infectious Diseases (Dec 2021)

Six-month follow-up of functional status in discharged patients with coronavirus disease 2019

  • Hou-wei Du,
  • Shuang-fang Fang,
  • Sang-ru Wu,
  • Xiao-ling Chen,
  • Jun-nian Chen,
  • Yi-xian Zhang,
  • Hua-yao Huang,
  • Han-han Lei,
  • Rong-hua Chen,
  • Xiao-bin Pan,
  • Xiao-qing Li,
  • Pin-cang Xia,
  • Zhen-yang Zheng,
  • Ling-Luo,
  • Hai-long Lin,
  • Li-min Chen,
  • Nan Liu,
  • Fujian Medical Team Support Wuhan for COVID19

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-021-06970-3
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 21, no. 1
pp. 1 – 8

Abstract

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Abstract Background The long-term functional outcome of discharged patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains unresolved. We aimed to describe a 6-month follow-up of functional status of COVID-19 survivors. Methods We reviewed the data of COVID-19 patients who had been consecutively admitted to the Tumor Center of Union Hospital (Wuhan, China) between 15 February and 14 March 2020. We quantified a 6-month functional outcome reflecting symptoms and disability in COVID-19 survivors using a post-COVID-19 functional status scale ranging from 0 to 4 (PCFS). We examined the risk factors for the incomplete functional status defined as a PCFS > 0 at a 6-month follow-up after discharge. Results We included a total of 95 COVID-19 survivors with a median age of 62 (IQR 53–69) who had a complete functional status (PCFS grade 0) at baseline in this retrospective observational study. At 6-month follow-up, 67 (70.5%) patients had a complete functional outcome (grade 0), 9 (9.5%) had a negligible limited function (grade 1), 12 (12.6%) had a mild limited function (grade 2), 7 (7.4%) had moderate limited function (grade 3). Univariable logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between the onset symptoms of muscle or joint pain and an increased risk of incomplete function (unadjusted OR 4.06, 95% CI 1.33–12.37). This association remained after adjustment for age and admission delay (adjusted OR 3.39, 95% CI 1.06–10.81, p = 0.039). Conclusions A small proportion of discharged COVID-19 patients may have an incomplete functional outcome at a 6-month follow-up; intervention strategies are required.

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