Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 15, 2025
Author Spotlight: Advancements in Multiplex Detection of Respiratory Viruses
Published on: November 10, 2023
Long COVID 1 year after hospitalisation for COVID-19: a prospective bicentric cohort study
Christoph Becker1,2, Katharina Beck1, Samuel Zumbrunn1
1Medical Communication and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland
Insights
A high percentage of hospitalized COVID-19 patients experience long COVID symptoms, including fatigue and shortness of breath, one year after discharge. Severe illness and longer hospital stays predict these persistent symptoms, impacting quality of life.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Pulmonology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Long COVID, characterized by persistent sequelae after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is of growing research interest.
- Understanding long-term outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 survivors is crucial for patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of long COVID symptoms and psychological distress one year post-hospitalization.
- To identify predictors associated with the development of long COVID.
Main Methods:
- A prospective cohort study involving 90 adult patients hospitalized for confirmed COVID-19.
- Data collection focused on residual symptoms, psychological distress, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms one year after discharge.
Main Results:
- 70% of patients exhibited symptoms of long COVID, with fatigue, concentration difficulties, and shortness of breath being most common.
- Predictors of long COVID included longer hospital duration, greater illness severity, and self-perceived health status post-hospitalization.
- 18% reported psychological distress, and 3.3% showed symptoms of PTSD.
Conclusions:
- A significant proportion of hospitalized COVID-19 patients suffer from long COVID symptoms one year later, diminishing their quality of life.
- Severe initial COVID-19 presentation and prolonged hospitalization are key risk factors for developing long COVID.
Abstract:
AIMS OF THE STUDY: There is increasing interest in better understanding of long COVID, a condition characterised by long-term sequelae — appearing or persisting after the typical convalescence period — of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Herein, we describe long-term outcomes regarding residual symptoms and psychological distress in hospitalised patients 1 year after COVID-19. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included consecutive adult patients hospitalised for confirmed COVID-19 in two Swiss tertiary-care hospitals between March and June 2020. The primary endpoint was evidence of long COVID 1 year after discharge, defined as ≥1 persisting or new symptom related to COVID-19, from a predefined list of symptoms. Secondary endpoints included psychological distress and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). RESULTS: Among 90 patients included in the study, 63 (70%) had symptoms of long COVID 1 year after hospitalisation, particularly fatigue (46%), concentration difficulties (31%), shortness of breath (21%) and post-exertion malaise (20%). Three predictors, namely duration of hospitalisation (odds ratio [OR] 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.00–1.22; p = 0.041), severity of illness (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.04–1.37; p = 0.013), and self-perceived overall health status 30 days after hospitalisation (OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.94–1.00; p = 0.027) were associated with long COVID. Regarding secondary endpoints, 16 (18%) experienced psychological distress and 3 (3.3%) patients had symptoms of PTSD. CONCLUSION: A high proportion of COVID-19 patients report symptoms of long COVID 1 year after hospitalisation, which negatively affects their quality of life. The most important risk factors were severe initial presentation of COVID-19 with long hospital stays.
More Related Videos
10:38Observational Study Protocol for Repeated Clinical Examination and Critical Care Ultrasonography Within the Simple Intensive Care Studies
Published on: January 16, 2019
10:46A Method of Trigonometric Modelling of Seasonal Variation Demonstrated with Multiple Sclerosis Relapse Data
Published on: December 9, 2015
Related Concept Videos
01:17Classification of Illness
An illness is a response to a disease in which the person's level of functioning is changed compared with a previous level. The general classification of illness includes acute and chronic.
Acute illness is severe...
01:26Longitudinal Studies
01:20COPD: Pathogenesis and Clinical Features
The primary cause for the onset of COPD is cigarette smoking and exposure to air pollution. These hazardous factors initiate a chain reaction within the lungs, resulting in chronic inflammation, damage to the airways, and a...
02:20Longitudinal Research
01:27Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-IV: Assessement and Diagnostic Studies
Medical History
01:30Pneumonia I: Introduction
Risk Factors
Various factors influence the likelihood of developing pneumonia. Age plays a crucial role, with infants, children under two, and individuals over 65 at increased risk due to their...