Rehabilitation of post-COVID patients with chronic fatigue and cognitive disorders syndromes

ABSTRACT

Introduction. Almost all patients, who have experienced acute manifestations of COVID-19, regardless of the severity of the acute phase of the disease, are only at the beginning of a long way to recovery. According to experts, SARS-CoV-2 infection should affect almost 80% of the world's population, so all these patients to a greater or lesser extent will need a rehabilitation of certain manifestations of postcovid syndrome. Purpose: to study the effectiveness of rehabilitation program and the dynamics of cognitive impairment and manifestations of chronic fatigue syndrome in patients after coronavirus disease. Methods: The study design included 60 patients after SARS-Cov-2 infection. Among the examined patients there were 26 (43,3%) women and 34 (56,7%) men. An average age of the patients was 43,9 +/- 1,08 years. Patients were referred to the Department of Physical Rehabilitation after coronavirus disease with chronic fatigue and cognitive disorders syndromes. Accordingly, all patients, who participated in the study, were divided into two groups group I - 28 patients with a general condition of moderate severity at the hospital stage and 32 patients - group II, with severe course of the disease and oxygen demand at the hospital stage. Depending on the duration of rehabilitation, two observation periods were used - on the 7th and 14th day of rehabilitation program. Results: It has been proven, that patients, who didn't need oxygen, were complaining about anosmia, cephalgia, cognitive impairment, increased anxiety and fatigue. Dysgeusia, dyssomnia, and depression were more common in patients, requiring oxygen therapy at the hospital stage. Rehabilitation program eliminated cognitive dysfunction, depression, cephalgia, drowsiness and dyssomnia on the 7th day in patients, who did not require oxygen therapy (p>0,05), and in patients, who needed oxygen therapy - on the 14th day of the rehabilitation program (p>0,05). However, 2 (6,3%) and 3 (9,4%) patients, who needed oxygen therapy, even after 14 days of rehabilitation had manifestations of minor recurrent headache and drowsiness. Conclusion: Thus, patients after coronavirus disease, who needed oxygen therapy at the hospital stage, need long-term rehabilitation program.