Findings from a large UK study suggest recovery from hospitalisation depends on a variety of factors.
Health and employment recovery six months after covid-19 hospitalisation is significantly worse for women, the middle-aged, people with comorbidities, those who needed mechanical ventilation, and those with higher C-reactive protein levels, according to a large UK study.
“Our findings suggest that there are underlying mechanisms causing severe mental and physical impairments, independent of the degree of acute lung injury and potentially related to persisting systemic inflammation,” the authors wrote.
Researchers followed up 1077 people around six months after discharge. Only 20-30% had recovered, 20% had a new disability, and 19% of those previously employed had changed work status due to ill health.
“Based on our data, holistic post-hospital care pathways should be proactive, available to all hospitalised patients and not solely those who received ventilatory support, and should include symptom assessment,” researchers concluded.
