Over 80% of patients who reported having post-COVID conditions (long COVID) four months after hospitalization continued to face ongoing symptoms that limited daily functioning two years later, a new study has found. The results highlight the need for long-term follow-up and rehabilitation after COVID-19 hospitalization, the authors say.
Investigators used data from structured interviews conducted by a Swedish population-based study at four months post-discharge. Two years after hospital admission, they repeated the same interviews with 161 participants.
Improvements seen as well
Some health gains were seen at the two-year mark. These included improvements in general health, breathing, sensorimotor complaints, cognitive symptoms, affective symptoms and mental fatigue. But 84% said that cognitive, sensorimotor and fatigue symptoms remained highly prevalent and impacted everyday life, the researchers found.
In addition, about half of the patients who were on sick leave from work at the four-month mark were still on sick leave at 24 months. There were no evident differences between patients who were treated in the intensive care unit and non-ICU-treated individuals.
Long-term followup needed
Routine, long-term followup of patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 is a must, according to Richard Levi, of Linköping University in Sweden and colleagues.
For older patients at risk of long-term atrophy and functional loss, rehabilitation may be useful not only after the virus has cleared, but in some cases may be best started while the older patient remains ill, McKnight’s Clinical Daily has reported.
In a study published Jan. 29, investigators found that nursing home residents can tolerate moderate-to-high amounts of physical rehabilitation, despite symptoms such as fever, lethargy and even dehydration, with the goal of improving long-term health outcomes.
Numerous studies have found lasting symptoms that can be traced to a bout with COVID-19, including in patients who were never hospitalized. Studies published this month, for example, revealed lasting organ damage at one year, and lung abnormalities at two years following recovery. Yet another study has found that long COVID doubles the risk of cardiovascular problems.
The current study was published in the Lancet Regional Health, Europe.
Related articles:
Rehab benefits nursing home residents ill with COVID, study finds
