Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Vaes, Anouk W
• Goërtz, Yvonne M J
• Van Herck, Maarten
• Machado, Felipe V C
• Meys, Roy
• Delbressine, Jeannet M
• Houben-Wilke, Sarah
• Gaffron, Swetlana
• Maier, Dieter
• Burtin, Chris
• Posthuma, Rein
• van Loon, Nicole P H
• Franssen, Frits M E
• Hajian, Bita
• Simons, Sami O
• van Boven, Job F M
• Klok, Frederikus A
• Spaetgens, Bart
• Pinxt, Claire M H
• Liu, Limmie Y L
• Wesseling, Geertjan
• Spies, Yvonne
• Vijlbrief, Herman
• van 't Hul, Alex J
• Janssen, Daisy J A
• Spruit, Martijn A

Titel

Recovery from COVID-19: a sprint or marathon? 6-month follow-up data from online long COVID-19 support group members

Ist Teil von

• ERJ open research, 2021-04, Vol.7 (2), p.141

Ort / Verlag

England: European Respiratory Society

Erscheinungsjahr

2021

Quelle

EZB Electronic Journals Library

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• It remains unknown whether and to what extent members of online "long COVID" peer support groups remain symptomatic and limited over time. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate symptoms in members of online long COVID peer support groups up to 6 months after the onset of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related symptoms. Demographics, symptoms, health status, work productivity, functional status and health-related quality of life were assessed about 3 and 6 months after the onset of COVID-19-related symptoms in members of online long COVID peer support groups. Data from 239 patients with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis (83% women; median (interquartile range) age 50 (39-56) years) were analysed. During the infection, a median (interquartile range) of 15 (11-18) symptoms was reported, which was significantly lower 3 and 6 months later: 6 (4-9) and 6 (3-8), respectively (p<0.05). From 3 to 6 months follow-up, the proportion of patients without symptoms increased from 1.3% to only 5.4% (p<0.001). Patients also reported a significantly improved work productivity (work absenteeism and presenteeism: 73% 52% and 66% 60%, respectively), self-reported good health (9.2% 16.7%), functional status (mean±sd Post-COVID-19 Functional Status scale: 2.4±0.9 2.2±1.0) and health-related quality of life (all p<0.05). Although patients with confirmed COVID-19, who were all members of online long COVID peer support groups, reported significant improvements in work productivity, functional status and quality of life between 3 and 6 months follow-up, these data clearly highlight the long-term impact of COVID-19, as approximately 6 months after the onset of COVID-19-related symptoms a large proportion still experienced persistent symptoms, a moderate-to-poor health, moderate-to-severe functional limitations, considerable loss in work productivity, and/or an impaired quality of life. Action is needed to improve the management and healthcare of these patients.