Physical Health in Patients with Post-COVID-19 6 and 12 Months after an Inpatient Rehabilitation: An Observational Study.

Publication date: Jul 08, 2024

Background: Rehabilitation is an effective and feasible approach for post-COVID patients to improve physical health. However, knowledge regarding the long-term impact of rehabilitation on the physical health of these patients is lacking. Methods: Changes in physical health of 127 patients with COVID-19 as an occupational disease or work accident were assessed in a longitudinal observational study. Post-COVID symptoms, functional status, functional exercise capacity, endurance capacity, physical performance, quadricep strength, handgrip strength, motor balance ability, and self-reported physical performance were examined at the beginning as well as 6 and 12 months after the rehabilitation. Group differences concerning sex, age, acute COVID status, comorbidities prior to COVID-19, and aftercare interventions were also analysed. Results: Even 12 months after rehabilitation, the prevalence of post-COVID symptoms (28. 6-94. 7%) remained remarkably high in the study population. Significant improvements in various aspects of physical health were observed 6 (r = 0. 288-0. 755) and 12 months (r = 0. 189-0. 681) after the rehabilitation. Participants demonstrated enhanced endurance, strength, and balance function, as well as improvement in subjective physical ability. Significant group differences were observed between younger and older patients, those with mild-moderate and severe-critical COVID-19, and patients with and without pre-existing cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, psychological disease, neuro-sensory disease, musculoskeletal disease, and exercising in an outpatient group. Conclusions: The study identifies persistent challenges in COVID-19 recovery, despite significant improvements in physical health 6 and 12 months after rehabilitation. Further research and the implementation of standardised approaches are required to enhance the outcomes of post-COVID rehabilitation, with a focus on developing personalised care strategies for long-term recovery.

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Concepts	Keywords
Endurance	long-term outcomes
Handgrip	physical health
Inpatient	post-COVID
Months	rehabilitation
Sex	work-related COVID-19

Semantics

Type	Source	Name
disease	MESH	COVID-19
disease	VO	effective
disease	MESH	occupational disease
disease	MESH	status functional
drug	DRUGBANK	Isoxaflutole
disease	VO	population
disease	MESH	cardiovascular disease
disease	MESH	metabolic disease
disease	MESH	musculoskeletal disease
disease	MESH	vascular disease
disease	MESH	sequelae
drug	DRUGBANK	Coenzyme M
disease	MESH	long COVID
disease	MESH	infection
disease	VO	organ
disease	MESH	autoimmunity
disease	VO	vaccination
disease	IDO	quality
disease	MESH	symptom clusters
disease	MESH	sleep disorder
disease	IDO	acute infection
disease	MESH	cognitive dysfunction
disease	IDO	process
disease	VO	Gap
disease	VO	protocol
disease	MESH	pulmonary diseases
disease	MESH	post traumatic stress disorders
disease	MESH	stroke
disease	VO	time
disease	MESH	overweight
disease	MESH	Obesity
disease	MESH	Pneumonia
disease	MESH	minimal clinically important difference
disease	MESH	gait
drug	DRUGBANK	Oxygen
drug	DRUGBANK	8-cyclopentyl-1 3-dipropylxanthine
disease	VO	USA
disease	MESH	arthrosis
disease	MESH	hypertension
disease	MESH	bronchial asthma
disease	MESH	migraine
disease	MESH	comorbidity
disease	IDO	symptom
disease	MESH	chest pain

Original Article

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