Functioning issues in inpatients affected by COVID-19-related moderate pulmonary impairment: a real-practice observational study

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlations between clinical, functional, and radiological outcomes in inpatients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). METHODS: In this observational study, we recruited inpatients affected by moderate COVID-19 disease. The clinical evaluation comprised the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (CIRS), numerical rating scale (NRS), modified Rankin scale (mRS), and the modified Borg dyspnea scale (mBDS). Respiratory involvement was assessed with computed tomography (CT) and graded with a CT-severity score (CT-SS). We retrospectively assessed functioning using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) codes of the Clinical Functioning Information Tool (ClinFIT) COVID-19 in the acute phase. Correlation analysis was performed 1) between clinical, instrumental, and functional parameters and 2) between ICF categories. RESULTS: The data showed statistically significant moderate correlations between CT-SS and the following categories: b152 “emotional functions” and b440 “respiratory functions”. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to use the ICF framework in people with a moderate form of COVID-19 in the acute phase. Considering the correlations between some ICF categories and radiological findings, our results support the use of the ClinFIT COVID-19 for a comprehensive assessment of COVID-19 patients.