Sci Rep
. 2021 Nov 22;11(1):22666.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-01215-4.
Long-term sequelae are highly prevalent one year after hospitalization for severe COVID-19
Mattia Bellan 1 2 3 , Alessio Baricich 4 5 , Filippo Patrucco 4 5 , Patrizia Zeppegno 4 5 , Carla Gramaglia 4 5 , Piero Emilio Balbo 5 , Alessandro Carriero 4 5 , Chiara Santa Amico 4 , Gian Carlo Avanzi 4 5 , Michela Barini 5 , Marco Battaglia 4 5 , Simone Bor 4 5 , Vincenzo Cantaluppi 4 5 , Giuseppe Cappellano 4 , Federico Ceruti 4 5 , Annalisa Chiocchetti 4 , Elisa Clivati 5 , Mara Giordano 4 5 , Daria Cuneo 4 5 , Eleonora Gambaro 4 5 , Eleonora Gattoni 5 , Alberto Loro 4 5 , Marcello Manfredi 4 , Umberto Morosini 4 , Francesco Murano 4 5 , Elena Paracchini 5 , Giuseppe Patti 4 5 , David James Pinato 4 6 , Davide Raineri 4 , Roberta Rolla 5 , Pier Paolo Sainaghi 4 5 , Stefano Tricca 4 , Mario Pirisi 4 5
Affiliations
- PMID: 34811387
- DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01215-4
Abstract
Many coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) survivors show symptoms months after acute illness. The aim of this work is to describe the clinical evolution of Covid-19, one year after discharge. We performed a prospective cohort study on 238 patients previously hospitalized for Covid-19 pneumonia in 2020 who already underwent clinical follow-up 4 months post-Covid-19. 200 consented to participate to a 12-months clinical assessment, including: pulmonary function tests with diffusing lung capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO); post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptoms evaluation by the Impact of Event Scale (IES); motor function evaluation (by Short Physical Performance Battery and 2 min walking test); chest Computed Tomography (CT). After 366 [363-369] days, 79 patients (39.5%) reported at least one symptom. A DLCO < 80% was observed in 96 patients (49.0%). Severe DLCO impairment (< 60%) was reported in 20 patients (10.2%), related to extent of CT scan abnormalities. Some degree of motor impairment was observed in 25.8% of subjects. 37/200 patients (18.5%) showed moderate-to-severe PTS symptoms. In the time elapsed from 4 to 12 months after hospital discharge, motor function improves, while respiratory function does not, being accompanied by evidence of lung structural damage. Symptoms remain highly prevalent one year after acute illness.