Department of Internal Medicine IV (Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Infectious Diseases), Jena University Hospital/Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Am Klinikum 1, 07743, Jena, Germany.
Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC), Jena University Hospital/Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany.
Infection. 2023 Apr;51(2):337-345. doi: 10.1007/s15010-022-01881-0. Epub 2022 Jul 13.
Post-COVID syndrome is increasingly recognized as a new clinical entity after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Patients living in rural areas may have to travel long with subjectively great effort to be examined using all necessary interdisciplinary tools. This problem could be addressed with mobile outpatient clinics.
In this prospective observational study, we investigated physical fitness, fatigue, depression, cognitive dysfunction, and dyspnea in patients with post-COVID syndrome in a mobile interdisciplinary post-COVID outpatient clinic. Upon referral from their primary care physician, patients were offered an appointment at a mobile post-COVID outpatient clinic close to their home.
We studied 125 patients (female, n = 79; 63.2%) in our mobile unit. All patients reported symptoms lasting for more than 12 weeks after acute infection. 88.3% and 64.1% of patients reported significant impairment in physical and mental quality of life. Patients reported a median of three symptoms. The most frequently reported symptoms were fatigue (86.4%), cognitive dysfunction (85.6%), and dyspnea (37.6%). 56.0% of patients performed at < 2.5th percentile at the 1 min sit-to-stand test compared to age- and sex-matched healthy controls, and 25 patients (20.0%) exhibited a drop in oxygen saturation. A questionnaire given to each patient regarding the mobile unit revealed a very high level of patient satisfaction.
There is an increasing need for high-quality and locally available care for patients with post-COVID syndrome. A mobile post-COVID outpatient clinic is a new concept that may be particularly suitable for use in rural regions. Patients' satisfaction following visits in such units is very high.
SARS-CoV-2 感染后，越来越多的人认识到新冠后综合征是一种新的临床实体。居住在农村地区的患者可能不得不长途跋涉，主观上付出很大努力，使用所有必要的跨学科工具进行检查。这个问题可以通过移动门诊来解决。
在这项前瞻性观察研究中，我们在移动跨学科新冠门诊中调查了新冠后综合征患者的身体机能、疲劳、抑郁、认知功能障碍和呼吸困难。根据初级保健医生的转诊，患者可在离家较近的移动新冠门诊预约就诊。
我们在移动单元中研究了 125 名患者（女性，n=79；63.2%）。所有患者报告在急性感染后 12 周以上持续存在症状。88.3%和 64.1%的患者报告身体和精神生活质量显著受损。患者报告中位数为三种症状。最常见的症状是疲劳（86.4%）、认知功能障碍（85.6%）和呼吸困难（37.6%）。与年龄和性别匹配的健康对照组相比，56.0%的患者在 1 分钟坐站测试中表现出低于第 2.5 百分位数的成绩，25 名患者（20.0%）的血氧饱和度下降。每位患者都会填写一份关于移动门诊的问卷，结果显示患者满意度非常高。
对于新冠后综合征患者，高质量、当地可获得的医疗护理的需求日益增加。移动新冠门诊是一种新概念，对于农村地区可能特别适用。患者在这些门诊就诊后的满意度非常高。
