COVID-19 and its continuing burden after 12 months: a longitudinal observational prospective multicentre trial

Sabina Sahanic, Piotr Tymoszuk, Anna K Luger, Katharina Hüfner, Anna Boehm, Alex Pizzini, Christoph Schwabl, Sabine Koppelstätter, Katharina Kurz, Malte Asshoff, Birgit Mosheimer-Feistritzer, Maximilian Coen, Bernhard Pfeifer, Verena Rass, Alexander Egger, Gregor Hörmann, Barbara Sperner-Unterweger, Raimund Helbok, Ewald Wöll, Günter WeissGerlig Widmann, Ivan Tancevski, Thomas Sonnweber, Judith Löffler-Ragg

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Recovery trajectories from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) call for longitudinal investigation. We aimed to characterise the kinetics and status of clinical, cardiopulmonary and mental health recovery up to 1 year following COVID-19.

METHODS: Clinical evaluation, lung function testing (LFT), chest computed tomography (CT) and transthoracic echocardiography were conducted at 2, 3, 6 and 12 months after disease onset. Submaximal exercise capacity, mental health status and quality of life were assessed at 12 months. Recovery kinetics and patterns were investigated by mixed-effect logistic modelling, correlation and clustering analyses. Risk of persistent symptoms and cardiopulmonary abnormalities at the 1-year follow-up were modelled by logistic regression.

FINDINGS: Out of 145 CovILD study participants, 108 (74.5%) completed the 1-year follow-up (median age 56.5 years; 59.3% male; 24% intensive care unit patients). Comorbidities were present in 75% (n=81). Key outcome measures plateaued after 180 days. At 12 months, persistent symptoms were found in 65% of participants; 33% suffered from LFT impairment; 51% showed CT abnormalities; and 63% had low-grade diastolic dysfunction. Main risk factors for cardiopulmonary impairment included pro-inflammatory and immunological biomarkers at early visits. In addition, we deciphered three recovery clusters separating almost complete recovery from patients with post-acute inflammatory profile and an enrichment in cardiopulmonary residuals from a female-dominated post-COVID-19 syndrome with reduced mental health status.

CONCLUSION: 1 year after COVID-19, the burden of persistent symptoms, impaired lung function, radiological abnormalities remains high in our study population. Yet, three recovery trajectories are emerging, ranging from almost complete recovery to post-COVID-19 syndrome with impaired mental health.

Original languageEnglish
Article number00317-2022
JournalERJ Open Research
Volume9
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Mar 2023
Externally publishedYes

Fields of science

  • 302 Clinical Medicine

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