3- to 24-month Follow-up on COVID-19 with Pulmonary Tuberculosis Survivors after Discharge: Results from a Prospective, Multicenter Study

• Published in: Biomedical and environmental sciences Vol. 35; no. 12; pp. 1091 - 1099
• Main Authors: WANG, Jing Ya, ZONG, Xing Yu, WU, Gui Hui, QI, Yuan Lin, LI, Hui Zhen, JI, Xin Yu, TONG, Lin, ZHANG, Lei, YANG, Ming Bo, YANG, Pu Ye, LI, Ji Ke, XIAO, Fu Rong, ZHANG Lin, Song, HU, Yun Hong, De LIU, Hong, XU, Fang Shou, SUN, Sheng, WU, Wei, MAO, Ya, LI, Min Qing, HOU, Hao Hua, GONG, Zhao Yuan, GUO, Yang, JIAO, Li Wen, QIN, Jin, WANG, Ding Yi, WANG, Fang, GUAN, Li, LIN, Gang, MA, Yan, WANG, Yan Ping, SHI, Nan Nan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: China Elsevier B.V 01.12.2022; Community Health Service Management Center,Dongcheng District,Beijing 100700,China%Institute of BasicResearch in Clinical Medicine,China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences,Beijing 100700,China%Public Health Clinical Center of Chengdu,Chengdu 610066,Sichuan,China%Yiyuan TCM Hospital,Zibo 256199,Shandong,China%Institute of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine,China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences,Beijing 100700,China%Xi'an Eighth Hospital,Xi'an 710000,Shaanxi,China%Harbin Infectious Disease Hospital,Harbin 150000,Heilongjiang,China%Hospital(T.C.M)Affiliated to Southwest Medical University,Luzhou 646000,Sichuan,China%Xingtai Hospital of Chinese Medicine,Xingtai 054000,Hebei,China%Shijiazhuang Fifth Hospital,Shijiazhuang 050000,Hebei,China%Jiamusi Infectious Disease Hospital,Jiamusi 154000,Heilongjiang,China%Chengde Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine,Chengde 067040,Hebei,China%Hanzhong Central Hospital,Hanzhong 723000,Shaanxi,China%Ankang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine,Ankang 725000,Shaanxi,China%Department of Traditional Chinese medicine,Dazhou Central Hospital,Dazhou 635000,Sichuan,China%China National Medicines Corporation Ltd,Beijing 100077,China%Beijing University of Chinese Medicine,Beijing 101121,China%Infectious Disease Hospital of Heilongjiang Province,Harbin 150030,Heilongjiang,China; The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by Elsevier (Singapore) Pte Ltd
• Subjects: COVID-19; COVID-19 - complications; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Long-term; Male; Middle Aged; Original; Prospective Studies; Pulmonary tuberculosis; Re-positive; Recurrence; Sequela; Survivors; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - complications; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - diagnosis; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - epidemiology; COVID-19; Recurrence; Long-term; Sequela; Re-positive; Pulmonary tuberculosis
• DOI: 10.3967/bes2022.126
• ISSN: 0895-3988

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and tuberculosis (TB) are major public health and social issues worldwide. The long-term follow-up of COVID-19 with pulmonary TB (PTB) survivors after discharge is unclear. This study aimed to comprehensively describe clinical outcomes, including sequela and recurrence at 3, 12, and 24 months after discharge, among COVID-19 with PTB survivors. From January 22, 2020 to May 6, 2022, with a follow-up by August 26, 2022, a prospective, multicenter follow-up study was conducted on COVID-19 with PTB survivors after discharge in 13 hospitals from four provinces in China. Clinical outcomes, including sequela, recurrence of COVID-19, and PTB survivors, were collected via telephone and face-to-face interviews at 3, 12, and 24 months after discharge. Thirty-two COVID-19 with PTB survivors were included. The median age was 52 (45, 59) years, and 23 (71.9%) were men. Among them, nearly two-thirds (62.5%) of the survivors were moderate, three (9.4%) were severe, and more than half (59.4%) had at least one comorbidity (PTB excluded). The proportion of COVID-19 survivors with at least one sequela symptom decreased from 40.6% at 3 months to 15.8% at 24 months, with anxiety having a higher proportion over a follow-up. Cough and amnesia recovered at the 12-month follow-up, while anxiety, fatigue, and trouble sleeping remained after 24 months. Additionally, one (3.1%) case presented two recurrences of PTB and no re-positive COVID-19 during the follow-up period. The proportion of long symptoms in COVID-19 with PTB survivors decreased over time, while nearly one in six still experience persistent symptoms with a higher proportion of anxiety. The recurrence of PTB and the psychological support of COVID-19 with PTB after discharge require more attention.