Title: A longitudinal tele-follow-up study regarding predictors of post-COVID functional status amongst patients who needed hospitalization

BACKGROUND: The evidence bases for post-COVID functional status is a rapidly emerging area. Data from the Indian study needs to add to this pool for understanding local variances. AIM: To delineate various predictors of post-COVID functional status. METHODS: A telephonic follow-up for 3 months after discharge was attempted for all patients who were discharged in May 2021 from a tertiary COVID care hospital in Gujarat. Demographic data, pre-admission vaccination status, associated comorbidities, the required level of care, need for ventilatory support and laboratory parameters on admission (CRP, D-Dimer, serum ferritin, serum LDH, TC, PLT) were collected. We applied Post COVID Functional Status scale (PCFS), Patient Health Questionnaire-2(PHQ-2), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2 scale (GAD-2), Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder Checklist-2 item (PCL-2) and Single-item Sleep quality question (SleepQOL). RESULTS: Out of 1000 patients, 637 were able to follow up telephonically; however, complete data was available only for 432 patients.10.2% patients had psychiatric morbidities. The distribution of PCFS impairment was in the following manner: none (74%), negligible or slight (22.3%) and moderate or severe (3.7%); it was associated with hypertension, various co-morbidities including psychiatric disorders, CCU admission, need for ventilatory support and serum ferritin (P-value is < 0.05). However, on regression analysis, the relation was maintained only with hypertension, psychiatric morbidities and the need for ventilatory support. Patients who were admitted in wards, without hypertension and S. Ferritin < 560 had a 95% probability of no functional impairment. CONCLUSIONS: Comorbid hypertension, post-COVID psychiatric morbidities and need for ventilatory support during hospitalization predict post-COVID functional status.