Many COVID-19 Hospital Survivors Face Adverse Effects at Six Months

TUESDAY, Feb. 14, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- At six months after hospital discharge for COVID-19, symptoms, functional status, and fatigue remain highly prevalent, with even new symptoms being reported, according to a study published online Feb. 14 in JAMA Network Open.

Andrew J. Admon, M.D., from the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, and colleagues measured the incidence of and changes over time in symptoms, disability, and financial status after COVID-19-related hospitalization. The analysis included data one, three, and six months after discharge from 825 adult patients (median age, 56 years) treated at 44 U.S. sites.

The researchers found that symptoms, disabilities, and financial problems remained highly prevalent among hospitalization survivors at six months. For cardiopulmonary symptoms (67.3 to 75.4 percent) and fatigue (40.7 to 50.8 percent), rates increased between one and six months. During the same time period, prevalent financial problems (66.1 to 56.4 percent) and functional limitations (55.3 to 47.3 percent) decreased. Among participants not reporting problems at one month, at six months, they often reported new symptoms (60.0 percent), financial problems (23.7 percent), disabilities (23.8 percent), and fatigue (41.4 percent).

"These findings suggest the need for health care systems, clinicians, and patients to recognize and manage both persistent and new problems after COVID-19-related hospitalization," the authors write.

Two authors disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

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