In-Hospital Rehabilitation and Functional Status of Non-Critically ill COVID- 19 Survivors

Abstract This study investigated in-hospital rehabilitation and functional status at discharge of non-critically ill COVID-19 survivors with respect to pre-admission dependency status, discharge durable medical equipment, discharge medical follow-up recommendation, hospitalization duration, demographics, comorbidities, laboratory tests, and vital signs at hospital discharge. Comparisons were made between COVID-19 survivors who received rehab (N=155) and those who did not (N=162). Functional scores were obtained using the “Mental Status”, ICU Mobility, and modified Barthel Index scores at hospital discharge. Relative to the non-rehab patients, rehab patients were older, had more comorbidities, had worse pre-admission dependency status (p<0.05), were discharged with more assistive equipment and supplemental oxygen (p<0.001), spent more days in the hospital (p<0.001), had more follow-up referrals (p<0.05) with cardiology, vascular medicine, urology, and endocrinology being the top referrals, and had more secondary in-hospital diagnosis of AKI and acute respiratory failure. Functional scores of non-critically ill COVID-19 survivors were impaired at discharge and were associated with pre-admission dependency. Some functional scores were negatively correlated with age, hypertension, coronary artery disease, chronic kidney disease, psychiatric disease, anemia, and neurological disorders (p<0.05). These findings warrant follow up of COVID-19 survivors as many survivors will likely have significant post-acute COVID-19 sequela.