Outcomes of patients with COVID-19 after inpatient rehabilitation

Abstract

Background: Rehabilitation outcomes of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are unknown.

Objective: To describe patients with COVID-19 who are undergoing inpatient rehabilitation and their rehabilitation outcomes.

Design: Retrospective observational cohort study of all inpatients from a rehabilitation hospital between March 1 and September 30, 2020.

Setting: Inpatient rehabilitation hospital.

Patients: Among all inpatients, inclusion criteria are: ≥18 years of age and admission and discharge within the study time frame. The initial search yielded 920 patients; 896 met the inclusion criteria. Subjects were stratified by COVID-19 status and rehabilitation impairment.

Main outcome measures: Data included age, gender, body mass index (BMI), length of stay (LOS), discharge location, and functional ability in self-care and mobility (FA-SC, FA-Mob). One-sample t-tests were used to assess the difference of age, BMI, LOS, FA-SC, FA-Mob, and FA efficiency between COVID-19+ and COVID-19- patients.

Results: COVID-19+ patients were younger (59.4 years vs 62.9 years; t[894] = -2.05, p = .04) with a higher mean BMI (32 vs 28; t[894] = 3.51, p < .01) than COVID-19- patients. COVID-19+ patients had equivalent or superior improvements in FA-SC and FA-Mob, functional change efficiency, and LOS relative to COVID-19- patients. When medically complex patients were compared, those with COVID-19 had greater FA-SC and FA-Mob efficiencies than COVID-19- patients. COVID-19+ patients had similar rates of return to the community.

Conclusions: Patients with COVID-19 who meet the admission criteria for inpatient rehabilitation can benefit from inpatient rehabilitation similarly to their non-COVID-19 counterparts with similar rehabilitation-specific diagnoses.