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The following is a summary of “Multidisciplinary Center Care for Long COVID Syndrome–A Retrospective Cohort Study,” published in the January 2025 issue of Pulmonology by Bailey et al. 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to analyze the characteristics and outcomes of individuals seeking care at multidisciplinary post-COVID centers.  

They analyzed data from individuals at a multidisciplinary comprehensive COVID-19 center in Chicago, Illinois, between May 2020 and February 2022. Specialty clinic utilization and clinical test outcomes were estimated based on the severity of acute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).  

The results showed that 1,802 individuals were examined a median of 8 months after acute COVID-19 onset, including 350 post-hospitalization and 1,452 non-hospitalized cases. A total of 2,361 initial visits occurred across 12 specialty clinics, with 1,151 (48.8%) in neurology, 591 (25%) in pulmonology, and 284 (12%) in cardiology. Among tested individuals, 742/916 (81%) reported reduced QoL, 284/553 (51%) exhibited cognitive impairment, 195/434 (44.9%) showed lung function abnormalities, 249/299 (83.3%) had abnormal computed tomography chest scans, and 14/116 (12.1%) displayed elevated heart rate on rhythm monitoring. Cognitive impairment and pulmonary dysfunction were linked to acute COVID-19 severity, while non-hospitalized individuals with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection had similar findings to those without positive test results.  

Investigators concluded that patients with long COVID frequently utilized multiple specialists, exhibiting common neurologic, pulmonary, and cardiologic abnormalities, with observed differences between post-hospitalization and non-hospitalized groups suggesting distinct pathogenic mechanisms. 

Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002934323003285