Impact of COVID-19 on Frailty, Sarcopenia, and Functionality After Hospital Discharge

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of covid-19 on frailty, sarcopenia and patient functionality after hospital discharge. DESIGN: This is a prospective cohort study. The patients will monitor after hospital discharge by COVID-19 for one year with evaluations at one, four, six and twelve months after hospital discharge. SETTING: This study was carried out in a reference Hospital for the treatment of COVID19 in São Paulo / Brazil. PARTICIPANTS: This study evaluated 68 patients, both genders, 18 years old or more that needed to receive treatment for COVID-19 in the hospital. INTERVENTIONS: This is a prospective cohort study with only apply assessment instruments in different periods. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patients were contacted by telephone and answered a questionnaire regarding sociodemographic data and the scale Barthel index, SARC-F and Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) in relation to their condition before COVID-19, after 1 month and 4 months of hospital discharge. RESULTS: 68 patients, mean age of 60.2 (±11.3) years, 35 (51.4%) males, were evaluated. Before COVID-19, 8 (11.7%) patients used an auxiliary gait device, 4 (5.8%) were wheelchair users, 44 (64.7%) were independent (Barthel index=100) and 24 (35.2%) had impairment in at least one daily living activity (Barthel index <95). Barthel index score (p <.001), Sarc-F (p <.001) and CFS (p <.001) worse after 1 month of the hospital discharge. In addition, after 1 month of the hospital discharge, there was a worsening of Barthel index (p < 0.001), Sarc-F (p < 0.001), and CFS (p < 0.001). Finally, after 4 months of hospital discharge Sarc-F and CFS did not improve compared to the period before covid-19. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that after hospitalization for COVID-19 there is a decrease in functionality and worsening of the conditions of sarcopenia and frailty. Despite functionality returning to baseline after 4 months, sarcopenia and frailty remained deficient when compared to the pre-hospitalization period. Therefore, a long-term follow-up is necessary for evaluation and rehabilitation after hospitalization by COVID-19 AUTHOR(S) DISCLOSURES: There is no conflict of interest on the part of the authors.