Increase in Frailty in Nursing Home Survivors of Coronavirus Disease 2019: Comparison With Noninfected Residents.
Giada Ida Greco, Marianna Noale, Caterina Trevisan and 9 others
PMID 33757725WHAT IT FOUND
Nursing home residents who survived SARS-CoV-2 became more frail and slower than matched noninfected residents over follow-up.
Their grip strength also fell more. Cognitive scores dropped in both groups, so infection did not distinguish them.
Key findings
01COVID-19 survivors had a 21% greater increase in frailty scores than controls, and greater reductions in handgrip strength and walking speed.
02Cognitive decline was not greater in survivors than controls; a drop of at least 2 MMSE points occurred in 14 cases and 17 controls.
03Infection was associated with a 4-fold higher chance of developing frailty (odds ratio 4.95).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was done in one nursing home in Italy, so results may not apply to other settings. Only 56 infected survivors were assessed, and 20 of 76 infected residents died, so the findings may not reflect all infected residents. Cases and controls were matched only by age within 3 years, not by a broader risk profile. The study was underpowered for cognitive decline. Some physical performance tests had missing baseline data. Residents were also exposed to isolation, reduced mobility, and suspended rehabilitation, so infection cannot be separated from those factors.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the 21% greater frailty increase as proof that infection alone caused it. The same period included isolation, reduced mobility, and suspended rehabilitation, and the study cannot separate those factors.