TY - JOUR AU - Sigfrid, Louise AU - Drake, Thomas M. AU - Pauley, Ellen AU - Jesudason, Edwin C. AU - Olliaro, Piero L. AU - Lim, Wei Shen AU - Gillesen, Annelise AU - Berry, Colin AU - Lowe, David J. AU - McPeake, Joanne M. AU - Lone, Nazir I. AU - Munblit, Daniel AU - Casey, Anna AU - Banniester, Peter AU - Russell, Clark D. AU - Goodwin, Lynsey AU - Ho, Antonia AU - Turtle, Lance C.W. AU - O'Hara, Margaret E. AU - Hastie, Claire E. AU - Donohue, Chloe AU - Spencer, Rebecca G. AU - Donegan, Cara AU - Gummery, Alison AU - Harrison, Janet AU - Hardwick, Hayley E. AU - Hastie, Claire E. AU - Carson, Gail AU - Merson, Laura AU - Baillie, J. Kenneth AU - Openshaw, Peter J.M. AU - Harrison, Ewen M. AU - Docherty, Annemarie B. AU - Semple, Malcolm G. AU - Scott, Janet T. PY - 2021 DA - August TI - Long Covid in adults discharged from UK hospitals after Covid-19: a prospective, multicentre cohort study using the ISARIC WHO Clinical Characterisation Protocol JO - Lancet Regional Health- Europe VL - 8 DO - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lanepe.2021.100186 AB - Background: This study sought to establish the long-term effects of Covid-19 following hospitalisation. Methods: 327 hospitalised participants, with SARS-CoV-2 infection were recruited into a prospective multicentre cohort study at least 3 months post-discharge. The primary outcome was self-reported recovery at least ninety days after initial Covid-19 symptom onset. Secondary outcomes included new symptoms, disability (Washington group short scale), breathlessness (MRC Dyspnoea scale) and quality of life (EQ5D-5L). Findings: 55% of participants reported not feeling fully recovered. 93% reported persistent symptoms, with fatigue the most common (83%), followed by breathlessness (54%). 47% reported an increase in MRC dyspnoea scale of at least one grade. New or worse disability was reported by 24% of participants. The EQ5D-5L summary index was significantly worse following acute illness (median difference 0.1 points on a scale of 0 to 1, IQR: -0.2 to 0.0). Females under the age of 50 years were five times less likely to report feeling recovered (adjusted OR 5.09, 95% CI 1.64 to 15.74), were more likely to have greater disability (adjusted OR 4.22, 95% CI 1.12 to 15.94), twice as likely to report worse fatigue (adjusted OR 2.06, 95% CI 0.81 to 3.31) and seven times more likely to become more breathless (adjusted OR 7.15, 95% CI 2.24 to 22.83) than men of the same age. Interpretation: Survivors of Covid-19 experienced long-term symptoms, new disability, increased breathlessness, and reduced quality of life. These findings were present in young, previously healthy working age adults, and were most common in younger females. Funding: National Institute for Health Research, UK Medical Research Council, Wellcome Trust, Department for International Development and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. PB - Elsevier UR - http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/247286/ KW - Coronavirus (COVID-19) ER