Outcomes of Recovered COVID-19 Patients: 6 Months of Sequential Observations at a Designated Tertiary Center

Abstract Objectives: An ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affecting almost 100,000,000 cases with 2,100,000 deaths worldwide. However, the long-term outcomes of recovered patients remain to be defined.Methods: This is a prospective observational study of patients with COVID-19 using sequential assessments after hospital discharge from a designated tertiary center in Hefei, China. We examined clinical symptom, chest CT imaging, pulmonary function, and 6-min walk distance (6-MWD).Results: There were 62, 61 and 51 discharged patients enrolled the 1-month, 3-month and 6-month observations, respectively. Symptoms persisted in 24 (39%), 25 (41%) and 5 (10%) patients, mainly cough in 31%, 15% and 8% of them, respectively. Mild restrictive pulmonary impairment was detected in 11%, 10%, 12% of patients at 1, 3, 6-month follow-up. Although chest CT scores were overall gradually improved at 1 month (5.0±5.1), 3 months (3.0±4.5) and 6 months (2.0±3.3) compared with that during hospitalization (11.0±6.8), residual CT abnormalities were seen in 73%, 54% and 43% of them at 1, 3, 6 months. At 6-month follow-up, the 6MWD was 541±59 m in these recovered patients, which was significantly lower compared to healthy controls (589±75 m，p<0.01). Only the steroid treatment during hospitalization (p=0.009, OR 12.091, 95% CI 1.882 to 77.678) was associated with abnormal CT score at 6 months.Conclusions: At 6 months after hospital discharge, respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function were improved in most COVID-19 patients while residual impairments were still present in both chest CT images and exercise capacity.