Long Covid in adults discharged from UK hospitals after Covid-19: A prospective, multicentre cohort study using the ISARIC WHO Clinical Characterisation Protocol.
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Background: This study sought to establish the long-term effects of Covid-19 following hospitalisation. Methods: 327 hospitalised participants, with SARS-CoV-2 infection were recruited into a prospective multicentre cohort study at least 3 months post-discharge. The primary outcome was self-reported recovery at least ninety days after initial Covid-19 symptom onset. Secondary outcomes included new symptoms, disability (Washington group short scale), breathlessness (MRC Dyspnoea scale) and quality of life (EQ5D-5L). Findings: 55% of participants reported not feeling fully recovered. 93% reported persistent symptoms, with fatigue the most common (83%), followed by breathlessness (54%). 47% reported an increase in MRC dyspnoea scale of at least one grade. New or worse disability was reported by 24% of participants. The EQ5D-5L summary index was significantly worse following acute illness (median difference 0.1 points on a scale of 0 to 1, IQR: -0.2 to 0.0). Females under the age of 50 years were five times less likely to report feeling recovered (adjusted OR 5.09, 95% CI 1.64 to 15.74), were more likely to have greater disability (adjusted OR 4.22, 95% CI 1.12 to 15.94), twice as likely to report worse fatigue (adjusted OR 2.06, 95% CI 0.81 to 3.31) and seven times more likely to become more breathless (adjusted OR 7.15, 95% CI 2.24 to 22.83) than men of the same age. Interpretation: Survivors of Covid-19 experienced long-term symptoms, new disability, increased breathlessness, and reduced quality of life. These findings were present in young, previously healthy working age adults, and were most common in younger females. Funding: National Institute for Health Research, UK Medical Research Council, Wellcome Trust, Department for International Development and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Date Issued
2021-09
Date Acceptance
2021-08-01
Citation
The Lancet Regional Health - Europe, 2021, 8, pp.1-13
ISSN
2666-7762
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
1
End Page
13
Journal / Book Title
The Lancet Regional Health - Europe
Volume
8
Copyright Statement
© 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
License URL
Sponsor
National Institute for Health Research
UKRI MRC COVID-19 Rapid Response Call
UK Research and Innovation
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34386785
PII: S2666-7762(21)00163-0
Grant Number
NIHR201385
MC_PC19025
1257927
Subjects
Covid-19
long-Covid
long-term outcomes
post-Covid
post-acute Covid-19
quality of life
sequelae
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
England
Date Publish Online
2021-08-06