TY - JOUR

T1 - Trajectory of cognitive impairments over 1 year after COVID‐19 hospitalisation

T2 - Pattern, severity, and functional implications

AU - Miskowiak, K. W.

AU - Fugledalen, L.

AU - Jespersen, A. E.

AU - Sattler, S. M.

AU - Podlekareva, D.

AU - Rungby, J.

AU - Porsberg, C. M.

AU - Johnsen, S.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - The ongoing Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic has so far affected more than 500 million people. Lingering fatigue and cognitive difficulties are key concerns because they impede productivity and quality of life. However, the prevalence and duration of neurocognitive sequelae and association with functional outcomes after COVID-19 are unclear. This longitudinal study explored the frequency, severity and pattern of cognitive impairment and functional implications 1 year after hospitalisation with COVID-19 and its trajectory from 3 months after hospitalisation. Patients who had been hospitalised with COVID-19 from our previously published 3-months study at the Copenhagen University Hospital were re-invited for a 1-year follow-up assessment of cognitive function, functioning and depression symptoms. Twenty-five of the 29 previously assessed patients (86%) were re-assessed after 1 year (11±2 months). Clinically significant cognitive impairments were identified in 48-56 % of patients depending on the cut-off, with verbal learning and executive function being most severely affected. This was comparable to the frequency of impairments observed after 3 months. Objectively measured cognitive impairments scaled with subjective cognitive difficulties, reduced work capacity and poorer quality of life. Further, cognitive impairments after 3 months were associated with the severity of subsequent depressive symptoms after 1 year. In conclusion, the stable cognitive impairments in approximately half of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and negative implications for work functioning, quality of life and mood symptoms underline the importance of screening for and addressing cognitive sequelae after severe COVID-19.

AB - The ongoing Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic has so far affected more than 500 million people. Lingering fatigue and cognitive difficulties are key concerns because they impede productivity and quality of life. However, the prevalence and duration of neurocognitive sequelae and association with functional outcomes after COVID-19 are unclear. This longitudinal study explored the frequency, severity and pattern of cognitive impairment and functional implications 1 year after hospitalisation with COVID-19 and its trajectory from 3 months after hospitalisation. Patients who had been hospitalised with COVID-19 from our previously published 3-months study at the Copenhagen University Hospital were re-invited for a 1-year follow-up assessment of cognitive function, functioning and depression symptoms. Twenty-five of the 29 previously assessed patients (86%) were re-assessed after 1 year (11±2 months). Clinically significant cognitive impairments were identified in 48-56 % of patients depending on the cut-off, with verbal learning and executive function being most severely affected. This was comparable to the frequency of impairments observed after 3 months. Objectively measured cognitive impairments scaled with subjective cognitive difficulties, reduced work capacity and poorer quality of life. Further, cognitive impairments after 3 months were associated with the severity of subsequent depressive symptoms after 1 year. In conclusion, the stable cognitive impairments in approximately half of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and negative implications for work functioning, quality of life and mood symptoms underline the importance of screening for and addressing cognitive sequelae after severe COVID-19.

KW - Cognitive impairment

KW - COVID-19

KW - Depression

KW - quaLity of life

U2 - 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2022.04.004

DO - 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2022.04.004

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 35561540

AN - SCOPUS:85129948336

VL - 59

SP - 82

EP - 92

JO - European Neuropsychopharmacology

JF - European Neuropsychopharmacology

SN - 0924-977X

ER -