RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: Post-COVID syndrome can impact against every sphere of daily live. The objective of this work was to detect the factors correlated with a better or worse physical recovery four months after hospital discharge from a hospitalization in ICU due to COVID-19. METHODS: Prospective descriptive study of 125 patients valued by the Rehabilitation Service during hospitalization in ICU, from March 12th to December 31st, 2020. Data from 76 patients was analysed with clinical follow up after 1, 2 and 4 months of hospital discharge. Variables on personal, hospitalary, functional symptoms/signals and physical recovery were analysed with mean +/- standard deviation, counting (percentage), T-student test and Fisher test. RESULTS: After one month, fatigue was observed in 60 (80%) patients and dyspnoea in 47 (62%). After two months, fatigue in 37 (55%), dyspnoea in 25 (33%), shoulder pain in 33 (43%), average QuickDASH was 22.7 (11.3-50), Sit-to-Stand Test in 30 seconds 11.5 (10-13) and 6-minute walk test 390 meters (326-445). In the fourth month, 25 (53%) had returned to work and had an average of the physical recovery of 79.1%+/-18.3%. There was no correlation between physical recovery >=75% and the first month data, but there certainly was a correlation between some second month variables, such as fatigue (p=0.001), dyspnoea (p=0.035), QuickDASH (p=0.001) and 6-minute walk test (p=0.021). CONCLUSIONS: Symptoms (fatigue and dyspnoea) and functional scales (QuickDASH and 6-minute walk test) after 2 months predict a better/worsen physical recovery after 4 months of hospital discharge.
RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyse both the impact of the pandemic and clinical and teaching organisation in Spanish Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Departments during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A survey was conducted of the tutors of rehabilitation departments. The questionnaire contained 31 questions divided into 6 parts about the following: general information on the department, adaptation of rehabilitation departments to the COVID pandemic, clinical work of rehabilitation physicians, the approach to rehabilitation in COVID patients, and the effects of the pandemic on the health and teaching activity of rehabilitation physicians during this period. RESULTS: A total of 54 responses were obtained. Almost half of the departments cancelled face-to-face medical consultations (40%) and 48% of the treatment rooms were turned into COVID beds. In 30 hospitals (55.6%), the physicians worked in COVID units. Most of the rehabilitation departments developed both graphic and audiovisual material with exercises, referral protocols and guidelines for the rehabilitation management and treatment of COVID 19 patients. Half of the departments reported some anxiety symptoms in medical staff. Tutorial work has been cancelled (40.7%) or reduced (35.2%). CONCLUSIONS: The organisation of Spanish rehabilitation departments in response to the COVID pandemic has been very similar throughout the country. The response of these departments to the healthcare crisis has revealed the versatility of rehabilitation physicians.