Association between symptoms and objective physiological outcomes in severe COVID-19 pneumonia survivors

Background: Ideally, holistic post-COVID assessment includes physiological tests, yet infection control policies favour remote assessment of symptoms where possible. Aims: To investigate relationships between symptoms and outcomes of physiological tests in COVID-19 survivors. Methods: Survivors of severe COVID-19 pneumonia were assessed in clinic at 4-6 weeks post hospital discharge. Relationships between symptoms (outcome measures listed in Table 1), 4 metre gait speed (4MGS), and 1 minute sit to stand (repetitions/min (1STSreps) and SpO2% desaturation) were assessed by correlation and multiple regression analysis. Results: 168 patients attended clinic June-November 2020. Patient characteristics and results of correlation analysis are shown in Table 1. Age (Beta = -0.284, p<0.001) and current mMRC dyspnoea score (Beta= -0.352, p=0.001) were independent predictors of 4MGS (overall model fit R2=0.35, p<0.001). Body mass index was the only independent predictor of 1STSreps (Beta=0.214, p=0.007, overall model fit R2=0.33, p<0.001). NRS pain (Beta=0.298, p=0.004) and cough (Beta=-0.179, p=0.041) were the only independent predictors of SpO2% nadir during 1STS (overall model fit R2=0.13, p=0.039). Conclusion: Respiratory symptoms were not strong predictors of 4MGS and 1STS performance, emphasising the importance of objective physiological tests in post-COVID assessments.