A Descriptive Pilot Assessment of Simple Outpatient Functional Measures Following SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Adults with Chronic Diseases.

Publication date: Jul 14, 2026

Background: Persistent functional symptoms may occur during post-acute recovery following SARS-CoV-2 infection, particularly among patients with pre-existing chronic diseases. However, structured outpatient approaches for the systematic assessment of functional status remain insufficiently described. This pilot study aimed to characterize functional findings in adults with chronic diseases assessed after SARS-CoV-2 infection using simple outpatient assessment measures and to explore a descriptive approach for characterizing functional findings in routine outpatient practice. Methods: We conducted an observational, cross-sectional pilot study including 38 consecutive adult outpatients (aged 38-82 years) evaluated between April and June 2025 in a university-affiliated outpatient setting. Participants were assessed during the post-acute recovery period, between four weeks and six months after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. Functional evaluation included the modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scale, Borg scale (at rest and post-effort), pulse oximetry at rest and after a one-minute sit-to-stand test, and heart rate monitoring. Data were analyzed descriptively in accordance with the exploratory nature of the study. Results: Fatigue (57. 9%; 95% CI: 42. 2-72. 1) and dyspnea (44. 7%; 95% CI: 30. 2-60. 3) were the most frequently reported symptoms among participants assessed after SARS-CoV-2 infection, followed by sleep disturbances (42. 1%; 95% CI: 28. 0-57. 8), anxiety (36. 8%; 95% CI: 23. 8-52. 4), and palpitations (26. 3%; 95% CI: 14. 2-43. 7). Post-effort oxygen desaturation ≥4% was observed in 11 participants (28. 9%), whereas a final post-effort SpO below 94% was recorded in 22 participants (57. 9%). Five participants (13. 2%) demonstrated a final post-effort SpO below 92%, and 10 participants (26. 3%) met both the criteria of post-effort desaturation ≥4% and final post-effort SpO below 94%. Within the exploratory categorization approach, participants were grouped into preliminary mild (28. 9%), moderate (36. 8%), and severe (34. 2%) functional categories. Conclusions: This exploratory pilot study describes functional findings observed in adults with chronic diseases during post-acute recovery following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Simple outpatient assessment measures may contribute to a structured description of symptom burden and functional status in routine clinical practice. The proposed categorization should be interpreted as a descriptive exploratory approach rather than as a validated clinical framework or decision-making tool. Further prospective studies involving larger cohorts are needed to evaluate reproducibility, clinical relevance, and potential applications in outpatient assessment.

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