LOng COvid COmorbidities: Endocrine,Metabolic,Neuropsychiatric,Muscle,Cardiovascular,Pulmonary,Dermatologic Dysfunctions

Overview

Considering the compelling amount of studies focused on patients in the active phase of COVID-19 disease and the scarcity of studies focused on patient cured from disease aimed at evaluating the sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the purpose of the study is to investigate whether in patients recovered from COVID-19 disease, SARS-CoV-2 infection has induced: 1) endocrine-metabolic function damage; 2) neuro-psychiatric damage; 3) muscle damage; 4) pulmonary damage; 5) cardiological damage; 6) venous vascular damage; 7) dermatological damage. Patients will be evaluated at baseline (at discharge from infectious and/or pneumology unit) and after 3- 12 months. A better definition of the prevalence and type of sequelae after recovery from COVID-19 disease could significantly improve the therapeutic management and long-term follow-up of these patients, with a relevant impact in terms of health resources and public health.

The aim of the study is to investigate whether in patients recovered from COVID-19 disease, SARS-CoV-2 infection has induced: 1) Endocrine-metabolic function damage, 2) Neuro-psychiatric damage, 3) Muscle damage, 4) Pulmonary damage, 5) Cardiological damage, 6) Post-thrombotic vascular damage, 7) Dermatological damage. The assessment of the potential endocrine-metabolic function damage will comprise the investigation of alterations in particular in: thyrotropic axis (prevalence of hypothyroidism and alterations of the thyroid gland); female gonadotropic axis (prevalence of hypogonadism) with assessment of potentially impaired reproductive and sexual function (prevalence of morpho-structural alterations of the ovary, sexual dysfunction); corticotropic axis (prevalence of hypoadrenalism and alterations of the adrenal gland); somatotropic axis (prevalence of growth hormone deficiency); lactotropic axis (prevalence of hyperprolactinaemia); metabolic profile (prevalence of metabolic syndrome, overweight, obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, hypovitaminosis D). The assessment of the potential neuro-psychiatric damage will comprise the investigation of prevalence of depression, alteration in the quality of life, apathy, anxiety, deficit of attention and cognitive skills. The assessment of the potential muscle damage will comprise the investigation of prevalence of fatigue, reduced resistance and muscle strength, reduced muscle power, reduced exercise tolerance, myopathy. The assessment of the potential pulmonary damage will comprise the investigation of prevalence of parenchymal sequelae of interstitial/organized pneumonia, lung dysfunctions, dyspnoea. The assessment of the potential cardiological damage will comprise the investigation of prevalence of echocardiographic changes at rest and during echocardiogram stress tests, dysfunctions in cardiopulmonary performance. The assessment of the potential post-thrombotic vascular damage will comprise the investigation of prevalence of previously unknown deep venous thrombosis. The assessment of the potential dermatological damage will comprise the investigation of prevalence of cutaneous and mucosal lesions, defluvium with identification of specific trichoscopic patterns and onychopathies with identification of specific onychoscopic/capillaroscopic patterns. Patients will be evaluated at baseline (at discharge from infectious and/or pneumology unit) and after 3-12 months.