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PLoS One
. 2025 Aug 26;20(8):e0330938.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0330938. eCollection 2025. Mental and physical health in persons receiving inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation treatment for post-COVID condition
Adrian Meule 1 , Daniela Kroll 2 3 , Martina Bönsch 3 , Tessa Schneeberger 2 3 , Inga Jarosch 2 3 , Rainer Gloeckl 2 3 , Ulrich Voderholzer 4 5 6 , Andreas R Koczulla 2 3 7
Affiliations
Background: Post-COVID condition is most commonly associated with physical symptoms such as dyspnea on exertion, difficulty in concentration, fatigue, and frailty but meta-analyses also document high rates of mental health problems such as anxiety disorders, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Methods and findings: In the current study, 140 persons (66% female) receiving inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation treatment for post-COVID condition for an average of 27 days (SD = 11) completed self-report measures on mental and physical health at admission and discharge. At admission, 54%, 36%, 36%, and 14% screened positively for somatoform syndrome, generalized anxiety, depression, and PTSD, respectively. Higher pulmonary functioning related to higher self-reported physical functioning (but not to measures of mental health) at admission. Several self-reported indicators for mental and physical health improved from admission to discharge.
Conclusions: The current study corroborates findings about the high mental and physical burden of post-COVID condition. However, both mental and physical symptoms show partial improvement during a specialized inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation treatment.
. 2025 Aug 26;20(8):e0330938.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0330938. eCollection 2025. Mental and physical health in persons receiving inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation treatment for post-COVID condition
Adrian Meule 1 , Daniela Kroll 2 3 , Martina Bönsch 3 , Tessa Schneeberger 2 3 , Inga Jarosch 2 3 , Rainer Gloeckl 2 3 , Ulrich Voderholzer 4 5 6 , Andreas R Koczulla 2 3 7
Affiliations
- PMID: 40857338
- PMCID: PMC12380288
- DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0330938
Background: Post-COVID condition is most commonly associated with physical symptoms such as dyspnea on exertion, difficulty in concentration, fatigue, and frailty but meta-analyses also document high rates of mental health problems such as anxiety disorders, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Methods and findings: In the current study, 140 persons (66% female) receiving inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation treatment for post-COVID condition for an average of 27 days (SD = 11) completed self-report measures on mental and physical health at admission and discharge. At admission, 54%, 36%, 36%, and 14% screened positively for somatoform syndrome, generalized anxiety, depression, and PTSD, respectively. Higher pulmonary functioning related to higher self-reported physical functioning (but not to measures of mental health) at admission. Several self-reported indicators for mental and physical health improved from admission to discharge.
Conclusions: The current study corroborates findings about the high mental and physical burden of post-COVID condition. However, both mental and physical symptoms show partial improvement during a specialized inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation treatment.