Little research has been done on post-COVID symptoms at 24 months postinfection and on the association these may have on health-related quality of life (HRQOL).
We assessed the prevalence and severity of post-COVID symptoms and quantified EuroQol 5 Dimension 5 Level (EQ-5D-5L), self-perceived health question (EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS)) and health utility scores (HUS) up to 24 months follow-up.
The longitudinal multiple cohort CORona Follow-Up (CORFU) study combines seven COVID-19 patient cohorts and a survey among the general public. The participants received questionnaires on several time points. Participants were stratified by: without a known SARS-CoV-2 infection (control group), proven SARS-CoV-2 infection but non-hospitalised, proven SARS-CoV-2 infection hospitalised to the ward, and proven SARS-CoV-2 infection hospitalised to the intensive care unit (ICU).
In this study, data of seven COVID-19 patient cohorts and a survey among the general public are included.
Former COVID-19 patients and controls participated in this cohort study.
Former COVID-19 patients and non-COVID-19 controls were sent questionnaires on symptoms associated with post-COVID condition. The CORFU questionnaire included 14 symptom questions on post-COVID condition using a five-level Likert-scale format. Furthermore, HRQOL was quantified using the EuroQol EQ-5D-5L questionnaire: EQ-VAS and the EQ-5D-5L utility score. The EQ-5D-5L questionnaire includes five domains that are scored on a five-point Likert scale: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression.
A total of 901 participants (and 434 controls) responded at 24 months follow-up. In all former COVID-19 patients, the presence of post-COVID condition at 24 months was observed in 62 (42.5%, 95% CI 34.3% to 50.9%) of the non-hospitalised patients, 333 (65.0%, 95% CI 60.7% to 69.2%) of the hospitalised ward patients and 156 (63.2%, 95% CI 56.8% to 69.2%) of the ICU patients, respectively (p
Many former COVID-19 patients experience post-COVID symptoms at 24 months follow-up, with the highest prevalence in hospitalised participants. Also, former patients reported a lower HRQOL.
The CORFU study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (registration number NCT05240742).
The principal aim of this study was to investigate differences in the characteristics and physiological parameters of critically ill patients who underwent interhospital transportation.
Prospective observational cohort study.
Multicentre study within the Euregio Meuse-Rhine, including Dutch and German hospitals.
A representative sample of critically ill adult patients who underwent interhospital transport accompanied by a physician was included.
None.
Data on patient characteristics, transport logistics, interventions and adverse events were recorded using an online questionnaire. The cohort was divided into Dutch and German subsets and further stratified based on the transportation modality. Descriptive statistics were utilised to present the cohort characteristics.
Dutch patients (89%) were mainly transported by mobile intensive care unit (MICU). For the present investigation, in Germany, the Intensivtransportwagen was included in this MICU category, whereas German patients (48%) were mainly transported by intensive care ambulance (ICA). An intensivist accompanied most transports in the Netherlands, whereas various specialists transported patients in Germany. Interventions were primarily performed in the MICU for Dutch patients and in the ICA for German patients. Adverse events were reported in 5% of the cases.
These comprehensive data provide insights into the transportation differences of critically ill patients. This serves as a foundation for future investigations concerning the quality and efficacy of interhospital transportation.
This study was registered in the Dutch National Trial Registration (NTR4937).