Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 in adults referred to COVID recovery clinic services in an integrated health system in Texas
Abstract
The epidemiology and organ-specific sequelae following acute illness due to COVID-19 and prompting patients to seek COVID recovery care are not yet well characterized. This cross-sectional study reviewed data on 200 adult patients with prolonged symptoms of COVID-19 (>14 days after symptom onset) not resolved by usual primary care or specialist care who were referred for COVID-specific follow-up. Most patients sought COVID recovery clinic visits within the first 2 months of initial onset of symptoms (median 37 days), with some seeking care for sequelae persisting up to 10 months (median 82 days). At the time of telehealth evaluation, 13% of patients were using home oxygen, and 10% of patients had been unable to return to work due to persistent fatigue and/or subjective cognitive dysfunction (“brain fog”). The prominent specific symptom sequelae prompting patients to seek COVID-specific evaluation beyond usual primary care and specialist referrals were dyspnea, fatigue/weakness, and subjective cognitive dysfunction, irrespective of whether patients had required hospitalization or of time since COVID-19 symptom onset.
Faculty credentials/disclosure
Dr. Danesh is a research investigator at Baylor Scott & White Research Institute and a faculty affiliate at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Arroliga is the chief medical officer of Baylor Scott & White Health and a clinical professor of medicine at Texas A&M University. Dr. Bourgeois is the chair of psychiatry at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center at Temple and a clinical professor of medicine at Texas A&M University College of Medicine. Dr. Widmer, Dr. Michael McNeal, and Dr. Tresa McNeal are internal medicine physicians at Baylor Scott & White Health in Temple and clinical faculty members at Texas A&M University College of Medicine. None of the planners/authors for this educational activity have relevant financial relationship(s) to disclose with ineligible companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.
Process
Click the take course button, pay any relevant fee, take the quiz, complete the evaluation, and claim your CME credit. You must achieve 100% on the quiz with unlimited attempts available.
- By completing this process, you are attesting that you have read the journal article.
- By claiming ABIM MOC credit you are providing permission to have your data uploaded into the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) system for transfer to the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM).
You will need to verify that your profile contains your correct birthdate (mm/dd) and ABIM diplomate number. For your convenience, please click here to verify your ABIM diplomate number.
Expiration date
Credit eligibility for this article is set to expire on November 1, 2023.
Target Audience
All physicians
Learning Objectives
After completing the article, the learner should be able to:
- Describe the sequelae of COVID-19 in patients referred to COVID recovery clinic services.
- Examine the similarities of COVID-19 sequelae in the context of initial onset and severity of acute illness in patients seeking COVID recovery care.
Accreditation
The A. Webb Roberts Center for Continuing Medical Education of Baylor Scott & White Health is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Designation
AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
The A. Webb Roberts Center for Continuing Medical Education of Baylor Scott & White Health designates this Journal-based CME activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
American Board of Internal Medicine Maintenance of Certification (MOC)
Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 1 MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credit.
Available Credit
- 1.00 American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) MOC Part 2Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 1.00 MOC points in the American Board of Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credit.
- 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™The A. Webb Roberts Center for Continuing Medical Education of Baylor Scott & White Health is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
- 1.00 Attendance