Journal
INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND THERAPY
Volume 11, Issue 1, Pages 145-163Publisher
SPRINGER LONDON LTD
DOI: 10.1007/s40121-021-00553-0
Keywords
Long-term; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Lung function; Psychiatric function; Physical function
Categories
Funding
- Chinese Academy of Engineering and Tencent Foundation
- National Natural Science Foundation of China [82041018, 82172034]
- Wuhan Municipal Science and Technology Bureau [COVID-19 (2020020101010004)]
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The study found that most surviving healthcare workers still had abnormal diffusion capacity at 1 year post-discharge, especially female healthcare workers. The physical and psychiatric functions of surviving healthcare workers were significantly worse than those of the healthy population.
Introduction To assess the long-term consequences of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) among health care workers (HCWs) in China (hereafter surviving HCWs). Methods A total of 303 surviving HCWs were included. Lung (pulmonary function test, 6-min walk test [6MWT], chest CT), physical (St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire [SGRQ], Modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale [mMRC], and Borg scale), and psychiatric functions (Essen Trauma Inventory) were evaluated during the 1-year follow-up. Results Surviving HCWs had an abnormal diffusion capacity 1 year post-discharge. Participants with a reduced carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO) comprised 43.48%. The proportion of HCWs with a median 6MWT distance below the lower limit of the normal was 19.4%. An abnormal CT pattern was observed in 37.5% of the HCWs. The SGRQ, mMRC, and Borg scores of surviving HCWs, especially those with critical/severe disease, were significantly higher than those in the normal population. Probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was reported in 21.9% of the surviving HCWs. Diffusion capacity impairment was associated with women. Critical/severe illness and nurses were associated with impaired physical function. Conclusions Most surviving HCWs, especially female HCWs, still had an abnormal diffusion capacity at 1 year. The physical and psychiatric functions of surviving HCWs were significantly worse than those of the healthy population. Long-term follow-up of pulmonary, physical, and psychiatric functions for surviving HCWs is required.
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