Table 2 Clinical outcomes at initial follow-up consultation for post-ED and PH adults

Time from hospital discharge/ED attendance to follow-up appointment (days)

61 (52–83)

N = 677

75 (55–106)

N = 347

< 0.001

Time from onset of symptoms to time of follow-up appointment (days)

69 (59–92)

N = 604

85 (66–112)

N = 304

< 0.001

Long-COVID symptom burden at follow-up

Abdominal pain

5.1%

N = 34/671

5.5%

19/346

0.77

Anorexia

5.1%

N = 34/671

4.0%

N = 14/346

0.47

Anosmia

8.8%

N = 59/671

6.6%

N = 23/346

0.23

Breathlessness

16.6%

N = 104/628

13.7%

N = 6/336

0.24

Chest pain

7.6%

N = 51/672

9.0%

N = 31/346

0.45

Chest tightness

11.2%

N = 75/671

11.6%

N = 40/346

0.86

Confusion

13.0%

N = 87/671

9.6%

N = 33/345

0.11

Cough

22.2%

N = 138/623

17.3%

N = 58/336

0.07

Diarrhoea

4.2%

N = 28/671

4.0%

N = 14/346

0.92

Fatigue

11.9%

N = 74/622

8.0%

N = 27/337

0.06

Focal weakness

10.1%

N = 68/672

7.5%

N = 26/346

0.17

Myalgia

19.1%

N = 128/671

17.1%

N = 59/345

0.44

Peripheral oedema

10.0%

N = 67/671

4.3%

N = 15/346

0.002

Sleep quality decrease

29.2%

N = 179/612

28.2%

N = 93/330

0.73

Any 1 of 14 Long-COVID symptoms at follow-up

79.5%

N = 534/672

70.1%

N = 242/345

< 0.001

Total number of symptoms at follow-up

2 (1–4)

N = 675

2 (0–4)

N = 346

< 0.001

Mental health burden

Depressive symptoms highlighted by a Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) score ≥ 2

19.9%

N = 129/647

19.1%

N = 65/341

0.74

Post-traumatic stress symptoms highlighted by a Trauma Screening Questionnaire (TSQ) score ≥ 6

6.3%

N = 38/604

3.5%

N = 12/345

0.06

Functional recovery

Patients reporting feeling back to normal

60.9%

N = 271/445

74.7%

N = 163/218

0.001

Patients reporting recovery

as 0-100 on VAS scale (with 100 reflecting best recovery)

90 (70–99)

N = 614

90 (75–100)

N = 330

0.006

Number of patients back to work:

Yes

29.4%

N = 190/647

46.1%

N = 155/336

< 0.001

No

23.8%

N = 154/647

20.5%

N = 69/336

Not applicable

46.8%

N = 303/647

33.3%

N = 112/336

Radiology

Chest X-Ray result:

Normal

67.9%

N = 399/588

79.4%

N = 201/253

< 0.001

Significantly improved (PCVCX1)

20.4%

N = 120/588

15.8%

N = 40/253

Specialty Care Referral (SCR)

Any 1 of 4 Referrals (respiratory/cardiology/physiotherapy/mental health)

25.0%

N = 156/625

32.6%

N = 114/350

0.011

Respiratory Referrals

10.2%

N = 63/619

8.9%

N = 31/350

0.51

Cardiology Referrals

10.9%

N = 68/626

9.1%

N = 32/351

0.39

Physiotherapy Referrals for exercise rehabilitation and/or management of dysfunctional breathing

7.5%

N = 41/626

14.2%

N = 50/351

0.001

Mental Health referrals

9.0%

N = 56/625

15.1%

N = 53/351

0.003

Neurology Referrals

0.2%

N = 1/626

0.0%

N = 0/351

0.46

Referrals To Chronic Fatigue Services

0.3%

N = 2/626

0.0%

N = 0/351

0.30

Memory Clinic Referrals

0.5%

N = 3/626

0.0%

N = 0/351

0.20