Physical function and fatigue recovery at 6 months after hospitalization for COVID‐19

• Published in: PM & R 2023-03, Vol.15 (3), p.314-324
• Main Authors: Qin, Evelyn S., Gold, Laura S., Singh, Namrata, Wysham, Katherine D., Hough, Catherine L., Patel, Payal B., Bunnell, Aaron E., Andrews, James S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activities of Daily Living; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; COVID-19 - epidemiology; Fatigue - etiology; Hospitalization; Humans; Middle Aged; Original; Patient Discharge; Prospective Studies; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1934-1482; 1934-1563; 1934-1563
• DOI: 10.1002/pmrj.12866

Introduction There are an increasing number of individuals with long‐term symptoms of coronavirus‐19 disease (COVID‐19); however, the prognosis for recovery of physical function and fatigue after COVID‐19 is uncertain. Objective To report the changes in functional recovery between 1 and 6 months after hospitalization of adults hospitalized for COVID‐19 and explore the baseline factors associated with physical function recovery. Design A prospective cohort study. Setting Tertiary care hospital. Participants U.S. adult COVID‐19 survivors. Intervention N/A. Main Outcome Measures Telephone interviews assessed three outcome domains: basic and instrumental activities of daily living (ADLs) performance, fatigue, and general physical function (Health Assessment Questionnaire [HAQ]). Results The age of participants (n = 92) ranged from 22 to 95 years (54.3 ± 17.2). Across outcome domains, a majority (63%–67%) of participants developed new ADL impairment, fatigue, or worsening HAQ severity by 1 month. Of those, 50%–79% partially or fully recovered by 6 months, but 21%–50% did not recover at least partially. Fifteen to 30% developed new impairment between 1 and 6 months. For those without any improvement in ADL impairments at 6 months, lower socioeconomic status was significantly more common (p = .01) and age ≥ 65 (p = .06), trending toward being more common. Conclusion In this cohort, a substantial proportion of the participants who developed new ADL impairment, worsening fatigue, or HAQ severity after hospitalization for COVID‐19 did not recover at least partially by 6 months after discharge. Evaluating functional status 1 month after discharge may be important in understanding functional prognosis and recovery after hospitalization for COVID‐19.