Recurrent Illness and the Burden of COVID-19
Recurring symptoms lasting several months may require ongoing treatment in some patients who have experienced COVID-19 infection. Terms referring to this condition include “long-haul COVID-19” or COVID-19 readmissions.
The CDC Report: For the period March-August 2020, the CDC’s MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2020;69:1695–1699 reviewed the progress of 126,137 unique COVID-19 infection patients admitted to US hospitals between March-July 2020. Fifteen percent of these patients died.
Among 106,543 survivors,
- 9% were readmitted to the same hospital within 2 months, and 1.6% were readmitted more than once, for recurrent illness.
- Readmitted patients tended to be >65 years old, with chronic conditions, with previous hospitalizations in the 3 months prior to the COVID-19 infection, and had been discharged to a skilled nursing facility, or with home healthcare.
Source: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6945e2external icon
VA Hospitals confirm these COVID-19 readmissions: 2179 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in 132 VA hospitals were followed for progress.
- Among survivors who were discharged, a fifth were readmitted within 60 days. These patients tended to be older than those not requiring readmission.
- Reasons for readmission included COVID-19 in 30%, sepsis in 8%, pneumonia in 3%, and heart failure in 3%.
- COVID-19 survivors had higher readmission rates within the first 10 days after the first admission than matched survivors of pneumonia and heart failure without COVID-19.
Source:
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2774380?guestaccesskey=3805b67d-afd3-40ee-afb7-0a06914cece2&utm_source=for_the_media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_content=tfl&utm_term=121420&alert=article
The toll of COVID-19 infection and COVID-19 readmissions: Among 1648 COVID-19 patients admitted to 38 hospitals in Michigan with COVID-19 infection 75% survived and were discharged.
- In the 60 days after discharge, an additional 7% died, and 15% had to be readmitted.
Among survivors interviewed 60 or more days after discharge:
- A third reported cardiopulmonary symptoms
- 13% reported a persistent loss of taste or smell
- 40% of previously employed individuals could not return to work because of persistent health issues or loss of employment
- 26% of those who returned to work could not do so full time.
Emotional and financial impact among these 60-day survivors
- Nearly half reported being emotionally affected, and 6% sought mental health care
- 37% reported a mild financial impact
- 10% reported use of most or all savings
- 7% reported having to ration food, heat, housing, or medications due to cost.
Source: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M20-5661?mc_source=MTExMDY2Ojo6NTQwYWU1MjNmMDVkNDRlNDliOTJkZTA0MDkzOTcxMmY6OnYzOjoxNjA1MjI1MDcxOjox&
If you are experiencing some of these symptoms after COVID-19 infection, please contact your primary care physician to get help:
- Respiratory problems
- Heart trouble
- Fever and Infection
- Gastrointestinal symptoms
- Persistent weakness and inability to perform daily tasks
- Neurological symptoms such as unclear thinking or poor awareness