Long COVID and cardiovascular disease: a prospective cohort study

PHOSP-COVID Study Collaborative Group, Claire Alexandra Lawson, Alastair James Moss, Jayanth Ranjit Arnold, Catherine Bagot, Amitava Banerjee, Colin Berry, John Greenwood, Alun D Hughes, Kamlesh Khunti, Nicholas l Mills, Stefan Neubauer, Betty Raman, Naveed Sattar, Olivia C Leavy, Matthew Richardson, Omer Elneima, Hamish JC Mcauley, Aarti Shikotra, Amisha SingapuriMarco Sereno, Ruth Saunders, Victoria Harris, Linzy Houchen-Wolloff, Neil j Greening, Ewen Harrison, Annemarie B Docherty, Nazir I Lone, Jennifer Kathleen Quint, James Chalmers, Ling-Pei Ho, Alex Horsley, Michael Marks, Krisnah Poinasamy, Rachael Evans, Louise V. Wain, Chris Brightling, Gerry P McCann, Ioannis Vogiatzis

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Abstract

Background: Pre-existing cardiovascular disease (CVD) or cardiovascular risk factors have been associated with an increased risk of complications following hospitalisation with COVID-19, but their impact on the rate of recovery following discharge is not known.

Objectives: To determine whether the rate of patient-perceived recovery following hospitalisation with COVID-19 was affected by the presence of CVD or cardiovascular risk factors.

Methods: In a multicentre prospective cohort study, patients were recruited following discharge from the hospital with COVID-19 undertaking two comprehensive assessments at 5 months and 12 months. Patients were stratified by the presence of either CVD or cardiovascular risk factors prior to hospitalisation with COVID-19 and compared with controls with neither. Full recovery was determined by the response to a patient-perceived evaluation of full recovery from COVID-19 in the context of physical, physiological and cognitive determinants of health.

Results: From a total population of 2545 patients (38.8% women), 472 (18.5%) and 1355 (53.2%) had CVD or cardiovascular risk factors, respectively. Compared with controls (n=718), patients with CVD and cardiovascular risk factors were older and more likely to have had severe COVID-19. Full recovery was significantly lower at 12 months in patients with CVD (adjusted OR (aOR) 0.62, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.89) and cardiovascular risk factors (aOR 0.66, 95% CI 0.50 to 0.86).

Conclusion: Patients with CVD or cardiovascular risk factors had a delayed recovery at 12 months following hospitalisation with COVID-19. Targeted interventions to reduce the impact of COVID-19 in patients with cardiovascular disease remain an unmet need.
Original languageEnglish
Article numbere002662
Number of pages11
JournalOpen Heart
Volume11
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 27 May 2024

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