Evolution and quality of life at three months after hospitalization for COVID pneumonia

Objective: Assess clinical evolution and health-related quality of life at three months after discharge in patients who were admitted and diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia, evaluated by the Rehabilitation Service and received physiotherapy in Fuenlabrada Hospital. Methods: Data were collected from 59 patients, separating those who were assessed in ICU (41 patients) from those assessed in the hospital ward (18). Data were obtained from their Electronic Medical Record, and a telephone interview was performed three months after their discharge. Data about their clinical progress during their hospitalization, after discharge, over the next months and their condition at the time of the interview is analyzed. Patients were asked to assess the quality of the physiotherapy received and to answer the SF-36 health-related quality of life questionnaire. Results: These patients had the worst progress of the COVID pneumonia among all patients hospitalized in our hospital, but they had a good functional recovery with the inpatient physiotherapy received, which was positively rated. After three months, 84% have persistent symptoms, with the most common being dyspnoea, fatigue and anxiety/depression, and score worse in the SF-36 questionnaire than the reference population. Conclusions: Most patients who require rehabilitation during their COVID pneumonia admission have persistent symptoms and perceive a deterioration in their health-related quality of life after three months of discharge. (c) 2021 Sociedad Espanola de Rehabilitacion y Medicina F & imath;sica. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L.U. All rights reserved.