Factors associated with aspects of functioning one year after hospitalization due to COVID-19.
Alexandra C Larsson, Annie Palstam, Linda Ashman Kröönström and 2 others
PMID 39763450WHAT IT FOUND
Fatigue three months after hospitalization for COVID-19 predicted lower walking capacity a year later, alongside older age and female sex.
Interestingly, how severe the initial infection was did not predict long-term function, meaning patients with mild cases may still face significant recovery challenges.
Key findings
01Older age, female sex, and higher levels of physical fatigue at three months post-discharge were significantly associated with lower functioning (walking distance) one year after hospitalization.
02The severity of the initial COVID-19 infection was not significantly associated with functioning one year later.
03Participants walked an average of 441 meters on the 6-minute walk test, with 11% walking less than 300 meters, which is linked to frailty.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
There was no control group of non-hospitalized individuals or healthy peers, so it is difficult to determine how much of the observed impairment is unique to post-COVID recovery versus general aging or population norms. The study relied on a single proxy for functioning (6-minute walk test), which may not capture all aspects of daily life, such as fine motor skills or cognitive function. Selection bias is possible because the study took place during a pandemic surge, and not all eligible patients could be included. The model explained only a moderate amount of the variance (r-squared of 0.31), meaning many other factors likely influence recovery that were not measured.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was funded by Swedish government agreements, regional research funding, Forte/Formas, AFA Insurance, and Sahlgrenska University Hospital research funds.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that a patient's initial hospitalization severity determines their long-term physical prognosis. The study found that how sick the patient was when they had COVID-19 did not predict their function a year later, whereas their level of fatigue three months after discharge did.