Cardiovascular and Psychological Consequences of COVID-19

A significant proportion of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 showed laboratory signs of myocardial damage, detected by elevated troponin levels, and these were associated with more severe clinical course and higher mortality. Moreover, it is unknown how the health emergency and the associated conditions may have influenced and still influence the psychological experience of the affected people.

Thus, in order to promote continuity of care, post-COVID-19 disease clinics have therefore been activated dedicated to a specific follow-up program for monitoring long-term alterations and for the early identification of patients requiring rehabilitation.

The program includes a first follow-up visit (2-3 months after recovery) including cardiac (2D-echocardiography, six-minute walking test, autonomic function evaluation) and psychological (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD) National Stressful Events Survey PTSD Short Scale (NSESSS)) evaluation.

A second follow-up visit will be performed at 12 months in the form of structured interview,

Inclusion criteria

• Recent discharge (≤ 3 months) from a COVID+ ward for SARS-CoV-2 disease

Exclusion criteria

• Serious clinical conditions (severe chronic inflammatory diseases, neoplasms, neurological pathologies).
• Non-Italian education, illiteracy, or return to illiteracy.
• Severe visual-perceptual deficits.
• Low motivation/interest or refusal to undergo the assessment.