Physical Function and Association with Cognitive Function in Patients in a Post-COVID-19 Clinic-A Cross-Sectional Study.

Patients with long-term health sequelae of COVID-19 (post-COVID-19 condition) experience both physical and cognitive manifestations. However, there is still uncertainty about the prevalence of physical impairment in these patients and whether there is a link between physical and cognitive function. The aim was to assess the prevalence of physical impairment and investigate the association with cognition in patients assessed in a post-COVID-19 clinic. In this cross-sectional study, patients referred to an outpatient clinic ≥ 3 months after acute infection underwent screening of their physical and cognitive function as part of a comprehensive multidisciplinary assessment. Physical function was assessed with the 6-Minute Walk Test, the 30 s Sit-to-Stand Test and by measuring handgrip strength. Cognitive function was assessed with the Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry and the Trail Making Test-Part B. Physical impairment was tested by comparing the patients' performance to normative and expected values. Association with cognition was investigated using correlation analyses and the possible explanatory variables regarding physical function were assessed using regression analyses. In total, we included 292 patients, the mean age was 52 (±15) years, 56% were women and 50% had been hospitalised during an acute COVID-19 infection. The prevalence of physical impairment ranged from 23% in functional exercise capacity to 59% in lower extremity muscle strength and function. There was no greater risk of physical impairment in previously hospitalised compared with the non-hospitalised patients. There was a weak to moderate association between physical and cognitive function. The cognitive test scores had statistically significant prediction value for all three outcomes of physical function. In conclusion, physical impairments were prevalent amongst patients assessed for post-COVID-19 condition regardless of their hospitalisation status and these were associated with more cognitive dysfunction.

Descriptive analysis of long COVID sequelae identified in a multidisciplinary clinic serving hospitalised and non-hospitalised patients.

BACKGROUND: There are emerging data of long-term effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) comprising a diversity of symptoms. The aim of this study was to systematically describe and measure pulmonary and extra-pulmonary post-COVID-19 complications in relation to acute COVID-19 severity. METHODS: Patients attending a standard of care 3 months post-hospitalisation follow-up visit and those referred by their general practitioner because of persistent post-COVID-19 symptoms were included. Patients underwent symptomatic, quality of life, pulmonary (lung function and high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT)), cardiac (high-resolution ECG), physical (1-min sit and stand test (1-MSTST), handgrip strength, cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET)) and cognitive evaluations. RESULTS: All 34 hospitalised and 22 out of 23 non-hospitalised patients had ≥1 complaint or abnormal finding at follow-up. Overall, 67% of patients were symptomatic (Medical Research Council (MRC) ≥2 or COPD assessment test (CAT) ≥10), with no difference between hospitalised versus non-hospitalised patients. Pulmonary function (forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) or diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (D LCO)) <80% of predicted) was impaired in 68% of patients. D LCO was significantly lower in those hospitalised compared to non-hospitalised (70.1±18.0 versus 80.2±11.2% predicted, p=0.02). Overall, 53% had an abnormal HRCT (predominantly ground-glass opacities) with higher composite computed tomography (CT) scores in hospitalised versus non-hospitalised patients (2.3 (0.1-4.8) and 0.0 (0.0-0.3), p<0.001). 1-MSTST was below the 25th percentile in almost half of patients, but no signs of cardiac dysfunction were found. Cognitive impairments were present in 59-66% of hospitalised and 31-44% of non-hospitalised patients (p=0.08). CONCLUSION: Three months after COVID-19 infection, patients were still symptomatic and demonstrated objective respiratory, functional, radiological and cognitive abnormalities, which were more prominent in hospitalised patients. Our study underlines the importance of multidimensional management strategies in these patients.