[Complaints and clinical findings six months after COVID-19: outpatient follow-up at the University Medical Center Freiburg]. / Persistierende Beschwerden 6 Monate nach COVID-19 Erfahrungen aus der COVID-19-Nachsorgeambulanz des Universitätsklinikums Freiburg.
Dtsch Med Wochenschr
; 146(17): e65-e73, 2021 Sep.
Article
in German
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1368971
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Increasing evidence suggests that some patients suffer from persistent symptoms for months after recovery from acute COVID-19. However, the clinical phenotype and its pathogenesis remain unclear. We here present data on complaints and results of a diagnostic workup of patients presenting to the post-COVID clinic at the University Medical Center Freiburg.METHODS:
Retrospective data analysis of persistently symptomatic patients presenting to our clinic at least 6 months after onset of acute COVID-19. All patients were assessed by a doctor and routine laboratory analysis was carried out. Quality of life was assessed using SF-36 questionnaire. In case of specific persisting symptoms, further organ-specific diagnostic evaluation was performed, and patients were referred to respective departments/specialists.FINDINGS:
132 Patients (58 male, 74 female; mean age 53.8 years) presented to our clinic at least 6 months after COVID-19. 79 (60â%) had been treated as outpatients and 53 (40â%) as inpatients. Most common complaints were persistent fatigue (82â%) and dyspnea on exertion (61â%). Further common complaints were impairments of concentration (54â%), insomnia (43â%), and impairments of smell or taste (35â%). Quality of life was reduced in all sections of the SF-36 questionnaire, yielding a reduced working capacity. Significant pathological findings in laboratory, echocardiographic and radiological work-up were rare. Impairments in lung function tests were more common in previously hospitalized patients.CONCLUSION:
Patients presenting 6 months after onset of acute COVID-19 suffer from a diverse spectrum of symptoms with impaired quality of life, also referred to as Long COVID or Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC). Further research is needed to determine the frequency of these post-COVID syndromes and their pathogenesis, natural course and treatment options. Evaluation and management should be multi-disciplinary.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
SARS-CoV-2
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Diagnostic study
/
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Adult
/
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
/
Young adult
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
German
Journal:
Dtsch Med Wochenschr
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
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