Post-COVID symptoms reported at asynchronous virtual review and stratified follow-up after COVID-19 pneumonia.
Clin Med (Lond)
; 21(4): e384-e391, 2021 07.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1262676
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The COVID-19 pandemic has strained healthcare systems and how best to address post-COVID health needs is uncertain. Here we describe the post-COVID symptoms of 675 patients followed up using a virtual review pathway, stratified by severity of acute COVID infection.METHODS:
COVID-19 survivors completed an online/telephone questionnaire of symptoms after 12+ weeks and a chest X-ray. Dependent on findings at virtual review, patients were provided information leaflets, attended for investigations and/or were reviewed face-to-face. Outcomes were compared between patients following high-risk and low-risk admissions for COVID pneumonia, and community referrals.RESULTS:
Patients reviewed after hospitalisation for COVID pneumonia had a median of two ongoing physical health symptoms post-COVID. The most common was fatigue (50.3% of high-risk patients). Symptom burden did not vary significantly by severity of hospitalised COVID pneumonia but was highest in community referrals. Symptoms suggestive of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder were common (depression occurred in 24.9% of high-risk patients). Asynchronous virtual review facilitated triage of patients at highest need of face-to-face review.CONCLUSION:
Many patients continue to have a significant burden of post-COVID symptoms irrespective of severity of initial pneumonia. How best to assess and manage long COVID will be of major importance over the next few years.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
COVID-19
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Qualitative research
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Clin Med (Lond)
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Clinmed.2021-0037
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS