Frontiers in Medicine (Jul 2022)

One Year Overview and Follow-Up in a Post-COVID Consultation of Critically Ill Patients

  • Jessica González,
  • Jessica González,
  • Jessica González,
  • Jessica González,
  • María Zuil,
  • María Zuil,
  • María Zuil,
  • María Zuil,
  • Iván D. Benítez,
  • Iván D. Benítez,
  • Iván D. Benítez,
  • David de Gonzalo-Calvo,
  • David de Gonzalo-Calvo,
  • David de Gonzalo-Calvo,
  • María Aguilar,
  • María Aguilar,
  • Sally Santisteve,
  • Sally Santisteve,
  • Sally Santisteve,
  • Sally Santisteve,
  • Rafaela Vaca,
  • Rafaela Vaca,
  • Olga Minguez,
  • Olga Minguez,
  • Faty Seck,
  • Faty Seck,
  • Gerard Torres,
  • Gerard Torres,
  • Gerard Torres,
  • Gerard Torres,
  • Jordi de Batlle,
  • Jordi de Batlle,
  • Jordi de Batlle,
  • Silvia Gómez,
  • Silvia Gómez,
  • Silvia Gómez,
  • Silvia Gómez,
  • Silvia Barril,
  • Silvia Barril,
  • Silvia Barril,
  • Silvia Barril,
  • Anna Moncusí-Moix,
  • Anna Moncusí-Moix,
  • Anna Moncusí-Moix,
  • Aida Monge,
  • Aida Monge,
  • Aida Monge,
  • Aida Monge,
  • Clara Gort-Paniello,
  • Clara Gort-Paniello,
  • Clara Gort-Paniello,
  • Ricard Ferrer,
  • Ricard Ferrer,
  • Adrián Ceccato,
  • Laia Fernández,
  • Laia Fernández,
  • Ana Motos,
  • Ana Motos,
  • Jordi Riera,
  • Jordi Riera,
  • Rosario Menéndez,
  • Rosario Menéndez,
  • Darío Garcia-Gasulla,
  • Oscar Peñuelas,
  • Oscar Peñuelas,
  • Gonzalo Labarca,
  • Gonzalo Labarca,
  • Jesús Caballero,
  • Carme Barberà,
  • Antoni Torres,
  • Antoni Torres,
  • Ferran Barbé,
  • Ferran Barbé,
  • Ferran Barbé,
  • Ferran Barbé

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2022.897990
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9

Abstract

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The long-term clinical management and evolution of a cohort of critical COVID-19 survivors have not been described in detail. We report a prospective observational study of COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU between March and August 2020. The follow-up in a post-COVID consultation comprised symptoms, pulmonary function tests, the 6-minute walking test (6MWT), and chest computed tomography (CT). Additionally, questionnaires to evaluate the prevalence of post-COVID-19 syndrome were administered at 1 year. A total of 181 patients were admitted to the ICU during the study period. They were middle-aged (median [IQR] of 61 [52;67]) and male (66.9%), with a median ICU stay of 9 (5–24.2) days. 20% died in the hospital, and 39 were not able to be included. A cohort of 105 patients initiated the follow-up. At 1 year, 32.2% persisted with respiratory alterations and needed to continue the follow-up. Ten percent still had moderate/severe lung diffusion (DLCO) involvement (<60%), and 53.7% had a fibrotic pattern on CT. Moreover, patients had a mean (SD) number of symptoms of 5.7 ± 4.6, and 61.3% met the criteria for post-COVID syndrome at 1 year. During the follow-up, 46 patients were discharged, and 16 were transferred to other consultations. Other conditions, such as emphysema (21.6%), COPD (8.2%), severe neurocognitive disorders (4.1%), and lung cancer (1%) were identified. A high use of health care resources is observed in the first year. In conclusion, one-third of critically ill COVID-19 patients need to continue follow-up beyond 1 year, due to abnormalities on DLCO, chest CT, or persistent symptoms.

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