Most Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19 Have Lasting Symptoms

Three-quarters of patients hospitalized with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) still had at least 1 symptom 6 months after they became ill, according to recently published follow-up research.

The study included 1733 patients who were hospitalized in Wuhan, China, and discharged between January and May 2020. Fatigue and ongoing muscle weakness were reported by 63% of the patients and roughly one-quarter reported difficulty sleeping or anxiety and depression. A subset of patients still had reduced lung function and below normal results on a 6-minute walking test. Ongoing lung and mobility impairments were more prevalent among the most severely ill patients. Among 1378 patients with estimated glomerular filtration rates available during their acute illness and at follow-up, about one-third had reduced kidney function at 6 months.

Among a subgroup of 94 patients who provided plasma samples during their acute illness and 6 months later, neutralizing antibody levels had dropped by about half at the follow-up visit, raising concerns about potential reinfection, the authors warned.

“Our analysis indicates that most patients continue to live with at least some of the effects of the virus after leaving hospital, and highlights a need for post-discharge care, particularly for those who experience severe infections,” senior author Bin Cao, MD, of the National Center for Respiratory Medicine in Beijing, China, said in a statement.

Créditos: Comité científico Covid