Prevalencia de la COVID persistente: seguimiento al año de una cohorte poblacional ambulatoria / Chronic COVID prevalence: one-year follow-up of an outpatient population cohort

Antecedentes y objetivo: la evolución a largo plazo en pacientes con COVID-19 no es suficientemente conocida. El objetivo es estimar la prevalencia de la COVID persistente (estado post-COVID-19) a los 6 y 12 meses en una cohorte poblacional.Material y métodos: estudio observacional, ambispectivo, realizado en un centro de Atención Primaria, incluyendo pacientes de 18-65 años con COVID-19 diagnosticado entre julio y diciembre de 2020. Se hicieron entrevistas telefónicas a los 6 y 12 meses, analizando la persistencia de síntomas, estado de salud e inicio de psicofármacos.Resultados: de 143 pacientes, 116 completaron el seguimiento (edad media: 43,6 años, 59% hombres). El 95,7% tuvieron infección leve, siendo el síntoma más frecuente la fatiga (69,8%). El número de síntomas disminuyó tras 6 (p <0,001) y 12 meses (p <0,001), mejorando la percepción de salud (p <0,001) y disminuyendo el tratamiento con psicofármacos (p = 0,04). Tenían estado post-COVID-19 el 41,4% (intervalo de confianza [IC] 95% 32,8-50,5) y el 8,6% (IC 95% 5,0-17,9) a los 6 y 12 meses, respectivamente. Conclusiones: casi todos los pacientes recuperaron su estado de salud a los 12 meses, con una prevalencia de estado post-COVID-19 inferior a la descrita.(AU)

Background and objective: long-term course in COVID-19 patients is not sufficiently known. The aim is to estimate the prevalence of post-COVID-19 condition at six and 12 months in a population cohort.Material and methods: observational, ambispective study, performed in a primary care centre, including patients aged 18-65 years with COVID-19 diagnosed between July-December 2020. Telephone interviews were conducted at six and 12 months, analyzing the persistence of symptoms, state of health and commencing psychotropic drugs.Results: of 143 patients, 116 completed follow-ups (mean age 43.6 years, 59% male). A total of 95.7% had mild infection, the most common symptom being fatigue (69.8%). The number of symptoms decreased after six (P<0.001) and 12 months (P<0.001), which improved the perception of health (P<0.001) and reducing treatment with psychoactive drugs (P=0.04). A total of 41.4% (95% CI 32.8-50.5) and 8.6% (95% CI 5.0-17.9) had post-COVID-19 condition at six and 12 months, respectively.Conclusions: almost all the patients recovered their health status at 12 months, with a prevalence of post-COVID-19 condition lower than that reported.(AU)

Effectiveness of Telephone Monitoring in Primary Care to Detect Pneumonia and Associated Risk Factors in Patients with SARS-CoV-2.

Improved technology facilitates the acceptance of telemedicine. The aim was to analyze the effectiveness of telephone follow-up to detect severe SARS-CoV-2 cases that progressed to pneumonia. A prospective cohort study with 2-week telephone follow-up was carried out March 1 to May 4, 2020, in a primary healthcare center in Barcelona. Individuals aged ≥15 years with symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 were included. Outpatients with non-severe disease were called on days 2, 4, 7, 10 and 14 after diagnosis; patients with risk factors for pneumonia received daily calls through day 5 and then the regularly scheduled calls. Patients hospitalized due to pneumonia received calls on days 1, 3, 7 and 14 post-discharge. Of the 453 included patients, 435 (96%) were first attended to at a primary healthcare center. The 14-day follow-up was completed in 430 patients (99%), with 1798 calls performed. Of the 99 cases of pneumonia detected (incidence rate 20.8%), one-third appeared 7 to 10 days after onset of SARS-CoV-2 symptoms. Ten deaths due to pneumonia were recorded. Telephone follow-up by a primary healthcare center was effective to detect SARS-CoV-2 pneumonias and to monitor related complications. Thus, telephone appointments between a patient and their health care practitioner benefit both health outcomes and convenience.