Multi-organ impairment and long COVID: a 1-year prospective, longitudinal cohort study.

Dennis A., Cuthbertson DJ., Wootton D., Crooks M., Gabbay M., Eichert N., Mouchti S., Pansini M., Roca-Fernandez A., Thomaides-Brears H., Kelly M., Robson M., Hishmeh L., Attree E., Heightman M., Banerjee R., Banerjee A.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of organ impairment in long COVID patients at 6 and 12 months after initial symptoms and to explore links to clinical presentation. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals. METHODS: In individuals recovered from acute COVID-19, we assessed symptoms, health status, and multi-organ tissue characterisation and function. SETTING: Two non-acute healthcare settings (Oxford and London). Physiological and biochemical investigations were performed at baseline on all individuals, and those with organ impairment were reassessed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome was prevalence of single- and multi-organ impairment at 6 and 12 months post COVID-19. RESULTS: A total of 536 individuals (mean age 45 years, 73% female, 89% white, 32% healthcare workers, 13% acute COVID-19 hospitalisation) completed baseline assessment (median: 6 months post COVID-19); 331 (62%) with organ impairment or incidental findings had follow-up, with reduced symptom burden from baseline (median number of symptoms 10 and 3, at 6 and 12 months, respectively). Extreme breathlessness (38% and 30%), cognitive dysfunction (48% and 38%) and poor health-related quality of life (EQ-5D-5L < 0.7; 57% and 45%) were common at 6 and 12 months, and associated with female gender, younger age and single-organ impairment. Single- and multi-organ impairment were present in 69% and 23% at baseline, persisting in 59% and 27% at follow-up, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Organ impairment persisted in 59% of 331 individuals followed up at 1 year post COVID-19, with implications for symptoms, quality of life and longer-term health, signalling the need for prevention and integrated care of long COVID.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04369807.

DOI

10.1177/01410768231154703

Type

Journal article

Publication Date

2023-03-01T00:00:00+00:00

Volume

116

Pages

97 - 112

Total pages

15

Keywords

COVID-19, integrated care, long COVID, organ impairment, prevention, quality of life, Humans, Female, Middle Aged, Male, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome, Prospective Studies, Quality of Life, Longitudinal Studies

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