Prevalence of Functional Limitation in COVID 19 Recovered Patients Using the Post COVID 19 Functional Status Scale
ABSTRACT Introduction: COVID 19 is an emerging global health pandemic causing tremendous morbidity and mortality worldwide. Chronic symptoms progressing to poor functional status have been reported in a substantial proportion of COVID 19 patients worldwide. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of functional limitation in COVID 19 recovered patients using the post COVID 19 functional status scale. Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. COVID 19 recovered patients with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction negative status were included and assessed using the post COVID 19 functional status scale. Data entry and analysis was done in Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20.0. Descriptive statistics were performed. Results: A total of 106 patients were included for the final analysis. More than half of the patients (56.6% reported having no functional limitation (grade 0) while the prevalence of some degree of functional limitation was observed in 46 (43.4% patients (grade 1 to 4) Conclusions: Some form of functional limitation should be anticipated after COVID 19 infection. Post COVID 19 functional status scale can be a valuable tool in determining the prevalence of functional limitation in COVID 19 recovered patients in acute health care settings. It can potentially guide in planning rehabilitative measures in post acute care management of COVID 19 survivors.
JNMA; journal of the Nepal Medical Association