PERSISTENT SYMPTOMS, SELF-REPORTED HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF COVID-19 SURVIVORS: A COHORT STUDY^*

HIGHLIGHTS

1. COVID-19 symptoms persisted for 180 days, fatigue more commonly.

2. Mild dyspnea and myalgia also have been reported.

3. Despite persistent symptoms, the general quality of life was “good”.

4. COVID-19 survivors were satisfied with their health state.

ABSTRACT

Objective:

This study investigates persistent symptoms, health satisfaction, and general quality of life of COVID-19 survivors at 30, 90, and 180 days after Intensive Care Unit discharge.

Method:

A multicentric prospective cohort study of COVID-19 survivors discharged from eight hospitals in Curitiba - Paraná (Brazil) between September 2020 and January 2022. Eligible COVID-19 survivors were interviewed by phone. A descriptive analysis was performed, and data were compared using Cochran’s Q test and Friedman’s nonparametric test.

Results:

Sixty-two COVID-19 survivors responded to the three interview moments. The most persistent symptoms were fatigue, mild dyspnea, and myalgia. At 30, 90, and 180 follow-up days, most patients reported “good” general quality of life (59.7%, 62.9%, 51.6%, respectively) and a “satisfactory” health state (43.5%, 48.4%, 46.8%, respectively).

Conclusion:

This study revealed the persistence of symptoms after COVID-19 infection; understanding these consequences is the first step towards developing medical treatments and management strategies for these patients.

KEYWORDS:
Coronavirus Infections; Intensive Care Unit; Health Status; Quality of life.