First results from post-COVID inpatient rehabilitation

• Published in: Frontiers in rehabilitation sciences Vol. 3; p. 1093871
• Main Authors: Kupferschmitt, Alexa, Langheim, Eike, Tüter, Haris, Etzrodt, Franziska, Loew, Thomas H, Köllner, Volker
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Frontiers Media S.A 23-01-2023
• Subjects: inpatient rehabilitation; post-COVID-Syndrome; psychocardiology; psychosomatic; Rehabilitation Sciences; treatment effect; psychosomatic; post-COVID-Syndrome; psychocardiology; treatment effect; inpatient rehabilitation
• ISSN: 2673-6861; 2673-6861
• DOI: 10.3389/fresc.2022.1093871

COVID-19 is associated with various symptoms and psychological involvement in the long term. In view of the multifactorial triggering and maintenance of the post-COVID syndrome, a multimodal therapy with somatomedical and psychotherapeutic content is expedient. This paper compares the psychological stress of post-COVID patients and their course in rehabilitation to psychosomatic and psychocardiological patients.
Observational study with control-groups and clinical, standardized examination: psychological testing (BDI-II, HELATH-49), 6-MWT as somatic parameter, two measurement points (admission, discharge). Sample characteristics, including work related parameters, the general symptom-load and the course of symptoms during rehabilitation are evaluated.
At admission in all measures post-COVID patients were significantly affected, but less pronounced than psychosomatic or psychocardiological patients (BDI-II post-COVID = 19.29 ± 9.03, BDI-II psychosomatic = 28.93 ± 12.66, BDI-II psychocardiology = 24.47 ± 10.02). During rehabilitation, in all complaint domains and sub-groups, symptom severity was significantly reduced (effect sizes ranging from
 = .34 to
 = 1.22). Medium positive effects were seen on self-efficacy (
 = .69) and large effects on activity and participation (
 = 1.06) in post-COVID patients. In the 6-MWT, the walking distance improved by an average of 76.43 ± 63.58 meters (
 = 1.22). Not a single patient deteriorated in walking distance, which would have been a possible sign of post exercise malaise (PEM).
Post-COVID patients have a slighter psychological burden as psychocardiological or psychosomatic patients. Although rehabilitation is not curative, post-COVID patients benefit significantly from the interventions and there were no signs of PEM.