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. 2023 Jan 19;35(12):1091–1099. doi: 10.3967/bes2022.126

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

Jing Ya WANG a,&, Xing Yu ZONG b,&, Gui Hui WU c,&, Yuan Lin QI d,&, Hui Zhen LI b, Xin Yu JI b, Lin TONG e, Lei ZHANG e, Ming Bo YANG f, Pu Ye YANG f, Ji Ke LI c, Fu Rong XIAO g, Song ZHANG Lin h, Yun Hong HU i, Hong De LIU j, Fang Shou XU k, Sheng SUN l, Wei WU m, Ya MAO n, Min Qing LI o, Hao Hua HOU f, Zhao Yuan GONG b, Yang GUO b, Li Wen JIAO p, Jin QIN q, Ding Yi WANG b, Fang WANG a, Li GUAN q, Gang LIN r,#, Yan MA b,#, Yan Ping WANG b,#, Nan Nan SHI b,#
PMCID: PMC9850451  PMID: 36597288

Abstract

Objective

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.

Methods

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.

Results

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.

Conclusion

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.

Key words: COVID-19, Pulmonary tuberculosis, Long-term, Sequela, Recurrence, Re-positive

Biographies

Biographical notes of the first authors: WANG Jing Ya, female, born in 1991, PhD, majoring in prevention and treatment of infectious diseases with traditional Chinese medicine

ZONG Xing Yu, male, born in 1997, BM, majoring in prevention and treatment of infectious diseases with traditional Chinese medicine

WU Gui Hui, female, born in 1969, MD, majoring in prevention and treatment of infectious disease

QI Yuan Lin, male, born in 1978, PhD, majoring in diagnosis and treatment of chronic pathology in Chinese medicine.

Footnotes

This study was supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central public welfare research institutes [Z0734]; Scientific and technological innovation project of CACMS [CI2021B003, CI2021A01314, CI2021A00704]; National Natural Science Foundation of China [82274350]; COVID-19 project of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine [GZY-KJS2021-007, 2020ZYLCYJ05-13, 2020ZYLCYJ07-5].

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