Publication date: Jun 20, 2025

To determine the prevalence of persistent COVID-19 symptoms in SARS-CoV-2 patients 15 months after ICU discharge,their impact on physical, psychological, and neurocognitive domains, and the burden on primary caregivers. Descriptive, ambispective observational study. Intensive Care Unit from a tertiary-level hospital. SARS-CoV-2 patients discharged from ICU. demographics and hospitalization data. Questionnaires assesing persistent COVID symptoms, functional tests (6-Minute Walk Test), anxiety (Beck Anxiety Inventory), PTSD and Zarit Caregiver Burden scales. Statistical analysis was performed using Stata for Mac, version 14. 2. 85 patients were evaluated, with a median age of 60. 3 years (IQR 54. 0-68. 9), 70. 6% males. A high percentage of patients reported musculoskeletal disorders such as arthralgia (44. 7%) and myalgia (38. 2%), cognitive impairments (52. 9%), sleep disturbances (34. 1%), asthenia (44. 5%) and anxiety (34. 5%). The overall BAI score was 2 (0-9), with paraesthesia being the most common symptom. Additionally, 29. 4% of patients reported “fear of the worst”, 35% had unpleasant or recurrent memories of their ICU stay, and 16. 4% were unable to relax (moderate/severe degree). Interviews with primary caregivers revealed that 22. 2% reported caregiving as a significant burden. persistent COVID affects three primary functional domains: physical, cognitive and psychological, as well as on primary caregivers concerns and burdens.

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