A comprehensive nationwide cohort study conducted in France revealed that survivors of COVID hospitalization face an increased risk for death or organ-related disorders for up to 2.5 years after discharge.

The researchers used the French National Health Data System, which provides outpatient records, such as medications and procedures, and hospital data on diagnostic codes and expensive treatments.

The study analyzed 63,990 adults who were admitted with COVID between January and August 2020.

Patients included were those hospitalized for at least 1 day, with COVID recorded as either the primary or an associated diagnosis. Individuals without reimbursement data during the 24 months before hospitalization were excluded.

Individuals in the COVID cohort (mean age, 65 years; 53.1% men) were compared with 319,891 individuals of the same age, sex, and location who had not been hospitalized for COVID infection.

Participants were followed up for up to 30 months, with outcomes including mortality and hospital admissions for any cause and organ-specific conditions.

Hospitalization rates were also higher (16,334 vs 12,095 per 100,000 person-years).

“These findings are a stark reminder of the far-reaching impact of COVID, which extends far beyond the initial infection,” said lead author Sarah Tubiana, MD, infectious diseases specialist at the Clinical Investigation Center, Bichat Hospital, Paris, France.

The highest incidence occurred in the first 6 months, especially for cardiovascular, psychiatric, neurologic, and respiratory disorders.

Myocarditis and thromboembolic events were the most common adverse events.

Although the incidence declined after 6 months, the rates remained significantly higher for up to 30 months for neurologic and respiratory disorders, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, and mortality.

Chronic renal failure and diabetes were more frequently diagnosed in survivors of COVID during the follow-up period.

No overall sex differences were observed in hospitalization, except for psychiatric disorders, which were more frequent in women.

Rehospitalization rates were higher across all age groups, with the highest incidence in patients older than 70 years.

This story was translated from MediQuality.