New study explores post-acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection
In a new ORCHESTRA study, researchers explored the post-acute phase experiences of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the Emilia-Romagna and Veneto Regions of Italy. Specifically, the study aimed to investigate the incidence and risk factors of access to specific healthcare services (outpatient visits and diagnostics, drug prescriptions) during the post-acute phase from day-31 to day-365 after SARS-CoV-2 infection, in a healthy population at low risk of severe acute COVID-19.
The study evaluated 35,128 subjects in Emilia-Romagna and 88,881 subjects in Veneto, which were previously diagnosed for COVID-19. The results of the study showed a remarkable frequency of outpatient care and drug prescriptions in the post-acute follow-up period – it estimated that drug prescriptions and outpatient care occur in a substantial percentage of cases, even amongst a previously healthy population with low or mild severity of acute COVID-19.
The researchers state that the significant healthcare resource consumption related to outpatient care and administration of drugs should be considered by researchers when evaluating the healthcare burden after a SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis. Furthermore, they recommend that long-term effects of COVID-19 needing clinical attention occur in a substantial percentage of cases, even amongst a previously healthy population with low or mild severity of acute COVID-19. This may be very important for clinicians and for healthcare policy makers, as our results suggest the need for a greater clinical attention in the follow-up after SARS-CoV-2 infection, also in a non-hospitalized low-risk population.
Read the full article here: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1241401/full
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