RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Long-term outcomes following severe COVID-19 infection: a propensity matched cohort study
JF BMJ Open Respiratory Research
JO BMJ Open Resp Res
FD British Thoracic Society
SP e001080
DO 10.1136/bmjresp-2021-001080
VO 8
IS 1
A1 Joanne McPeake
A1 Martin Shaw
A1 Pamela MacTavish
A1 Kevin G Blyth
A1 Helen Devine
A1 Gillian Fleming
A1 Justine Griffin
A1 Lisa Gemmell
A1 Pauline Grose
A1 Mark Henderson
A1 Philip Henderson
A1 Lucy Hogg
A1 Kirstin King
A1 Iain McInnes
A1 Peter O'Brien
A1 Kathryn Puxty
A1 Callum Rainey
A1 Varun Sharma
A1 Malcolm Sim
A1 Laura Strachan
A1 Stefan Siebert
A1 Tara Quasim
YR 2021
UL http://bmjopenrespres.bmj.com/content/8/1/e001080.abstract
AB Background There are limited data describing the long-term outcomes of severe COVID-19. We aimed to evaluate the long-term psychosocial and physical consequences of severe COVID-19 for patients.Methods We conducted a multicentre observational cohort study; between 3 and 7 months posthospital discharge, patients who had been admitted to critical care due to severe COVID-19 were invited to an established recovery service. Standardised questionnaires concerning emotional, physical and social recovery, including information on employment, were completed by patients. Using propensity score matching, we explored outcomes between patients admitted to critical care with and without COVID-19, using data from the same recovery programme.Results Between July 2020 and December 2020, 93 patients who had been admitted to critical with COVID-19 participated. Emotional dysfunction was common: 46.2% of patients had symptoms of anxiety and 34.4% symptoms of depression. At follow-up 53.7% of previously employed patients had returned to employment; there was a significant difference in return to employment across the socio-economic gradient, with lower numbers of patients from the most deprived areas returning to employment (p=0.03). 91 (97.8%) COVID-19 patients were matched with 91 non-COVID-19 patients. There were no significant differences in any measured outcomes between the two cohorts.Interpretation Emotional and social problems are common in survivors of severe COVID-19 infection. Coordinated rehabilitation is required to ensure patients make an optimal recovery.Data are available on reasonable request. The datasets used and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.