Findings from the World Heart Federation COVID-19 Long-term Follow-up Study

30 Aug 2024
news-sliwa
30 Aug 2024

A quarter of patients in the World Heart Federation LONG COVID Study still experience persistent long COVID symptoms after one year.

Following the success of the Global Study on Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) and COVID-19, and better understand long COVID, especially in low-resource settings, World Heart Federation (WHF) commenced the WHF Long COVID Sub-study in early 2022. The study is led by Prof. Karen Sliwa, Cape Heart Institute, University of Cape Town, Prof. Prabhakaran, All India Institute and Prof. Perel from London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. This sub-study aimed to determine the short-term (3 months), medium-term (6 months), and long-term (12 months) sequelae of COVID-19, including re-hospitalization and mortality, symptoms, impact on physical function, and psycho-social consequences. Twenty-six hospitals from 16 countries (Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Zambia) recruited 2,535 hospitalized COVID-19 patients from January 2022 to August 2023. Subsequently, these patients were contacted via telephone for follow-up assessments at four different time points: 1-month, 3-months, 6-months, and 9-12-month after hospital discharge. Follow ups for all eligible patients were completed in January 2024, with a follow-up rate of 90%.

  • Omicron variant was indicated in 98% of the available for over 50% of patients whose variant was recorded.
  • Over half (55%) received at least two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Moderate to severe fatigue was reported by 52% after 1-Month and 26% reported moderate to severe fatigue upon final follow-up.
  • After 6 months follow up 49% patients reported difficulties in usual activities, 33% reported anxiety and 23% reported mobility issues.
  • The overall Study Mortality Rate is15% with sudden cardiac death (54%), respiratory disease (including pulmonary embolism) (9%) and stroke (6%) the most common causes of death.
followup-study

The results presented at the ESC Congress 2024 reveal a significant burden of persistent long COVID symptoms amongst hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Most patients tested positive for the Omicron variant, and the discharged population experienced substantial mortality and morbidity rates. About a quarter of these patients reported at least one persistent long COVID symptom after one year. 

"These findings can help identify high-risk COVID-19 patients and inform management strategies for long COVID, especially in low and middle-income countries. It should also make us more sympathetic to people suffering from debilitating Long-Covid symptoms". said Prof Sliwa. 

The final results are to be published later this year and can help guide future healthcare planning for the post-pandemic globally.