Characterizing patients referred for ambulatory rehabilitation post COVID-19

Research Objectives: to describe baseline characteristics of patients referred for outpatient rehabilitation therapies during the first 7 months of Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation Hospital’s Post-COVID Recovery Program

Design: Retrospective cohort

Setting: Outpatient rehabilitation clinic

Participants: all patients referred to the BMRH Post-COVID Recovery Program from May – December 2021, excluding those with neurodegenerative conditions and those already receiving physical, occupational, and/or speech therapy for a pre-existing condition at the time of their COVID-19 diagnosis

Interventions: not applicable

Main Outcome Measures: This study focuses on describing baseline characteristics of a relatively new clinical population, ergo there is no main outcome measure

Results: Of 116 patients referred to the program, 94 (81.0%) were assessed by at least one therapy discipline. Of patients assessed, 72.3% were assessed by more than one discipline, and 37.2% were evaluated by all three: PT, OT, and Speech. The mean duration from COVID-19 diagnosis to referral was 203.2 days (SD=160.11). The majority of patients, 66.7%, were not hospitalized for COVID-19. Among patients’ chief complaints, the top five were cognitive issues (76.6%), decreased endurance (75.5%), decreased strength (62.8%), pain (56.4%), and balance deficits (50.0%). The most common premorbid conditions were anxiety/depression (37.0%), hypertension (35.3%), lipid disorders (33.6%), current/former smoker (31.0%), and migraines (21.6%). Average body mass index at time of COVID-19 diagnosis was 31.33 (SD=8.89), with 29.15 and 25.88 at the median and first quartile, respectively, indicating that the majority of patients fell within CDC ranges for overweight or obesity. Cognitive complaints were correlated with female assigned sex, lower levels of care received for COVID illness, and preserved strength. Decreased endurance was correlated with higher BMI, lipid disorder, higher level of care, and other physical complaints. Balance deficits were correlated with hypertension and longer duration.

Conclusions: These results shed light on a relatively new patient population and their rehabilitation needs. As SARS-CoV-2 continues to spread, more and more patients will seek rehabilitation services as part of their recovery. Understanding the characteristics of these patients is key to developing and refining effective treatment protocols.

Author(s) Disclosures: Nothing to disclose