Physical performance 5 and 12 months after hospital-discharge in COVID-19 survivors

<bold>Introduction:</bold> The longer-term effects of a COVID-19 hospitalisation on physical performance remain unclear, particularly in those who received invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) which is associated with deconditioning. <bold>Aim:</bold> Assess physical performance 5 and 12 months post-hospital discharge for COVID-19 and compare adults in receipt of IMV or not. <bold>Methods:</bold> 1748 patients (58.7±12.1 y; BMI: 31.7±6.9 kg/m2; 1068 [61.1%] male) performed ≥1 physical performance assessment at 5 and 12 months post-discharge for a long term follow-up study (PHOSP-COVID). Assessments included the incremental shuttle walk test (ISWT), 4 m gait speed (4MGS), 5-repetition sit-to-stand (5STS), and hand-grip strength. <bold>Results:</bold> ISWT distance and hand-grip strength increased between 5 and 12 months post-hospital discharge, with no differences between groups (IMV vs. non-IMV; time effect: <italic>p</italic><0.05; interaction effect: <italic>p</italic>>0.05; Table 1). 4MGS and 5STS remained unchanged between time points (<italic>p</italic>>0.05; Table 1). <bold>Conclusion:</bold> Marginal improvements in some, but not all, physical performance measures were seen between 5 and 12 months post-hospital discharge, with similar responses seen between the IMV and non-IMV groups. <fig><object-id>erj;64/suppl_68/PA4107/F1</object-id><object-id>F1</object-id><object-id>F1</object-id><graphic></graphic></fig>