Ninety-day outcomes in patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in São Paulo, Brazil: a cohort study

OBJECTIVE

COVID-19 has been associated with a significant burden to those who survive the acute phase. We aimed to describe the quality of life and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at 90 days after hospital discharge of COVID-19 patients.

METHODS

Patients with COVID-19 admitted to a private hospital in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, between April of 2020 and April of 2021 were interviewed by telephone at 30 and 90 days after discharge to assess the quality of life and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

RESULTS

A total of 2,138 patients were included. The mean age was 58.6 ± 15.8 years, and the median length of hospital stay was 9.0 (5.0-15.8) days. Between the two time points, depression increased from 3.1% to 7.2% (p < 0.001), anxiety increased from 3.2% to 6.2% (p < 0.001), and PTSD increased from 2.3% to 5.0% (p < 0.001). At least one physical symptom related to COVID-19 diagnosis persisted in 32% of patients at day 90.

CONCLUSIONS

Persistence of physical symptoms was high even at 90 days after discharge. Although the prevalence of symptoms of anxiety, depression, and PTSD was low, these symptoms persisted for three months, with a significant increase between the time points. This finding indicates the need to identify at-risk patients so that they can be given an appropriate referral at discharge.

Medical record documentation of cancer patients after an integrated engagement plan

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Background: Complete and accurate medical record (MR) documentation is essential to quality of cancer patient care, whose complex health and social needs should be addressed during medical consultation. We aimed to evaluate the MR compliance before and after an engagement plan (EP) and an education meeting (EM) for oncologists. Methods: An integrated EP was designed to improve medical notes in a Brazilian cancer center. Firstly, a pool of 160 selected MR of patients with prevalent neoplasms was reviewed to identify frequently missed components. Based on this result, a set of MR documentation standards was developed and presented in an EM for oncologists. To verify its effect, a cross-sectional analysis was performed using 25 standard elements collected from randomized MR before and after the EM such as pathology report, cancer stage, medical history, treatment plan, patient comprehension, and initial psychological assessment. It was given particular emphasis to psychological assessment during the EM as a low documentation of it was identified after the first MR review. The variation of the proportions pre- and post-EM was assessed using the chi-square test. Results: A total of 850 elements were collected from 34 patients’ MR two months pre-EM and 950 elements of 38 patients’ MR two weeks after. Of these patients, pre-EM 18 were under intravenous (IV) therapy and 16 under oral antineoplastic therapy and, post-EM, 14 and 24 patients were under IV and oral therapy, respectively. Pre-EM, MR compliance of patients under oral therapy was 68% and for patients under IV therapy 78% (P = 0.0013). Post-EM, the difference between MR compliance of patients under oral and IV therapy was 6% (82% vs. 88%, P = 0.0167). Overall MR compliance pre-EM was 73% and post-EM 84% (P < 0.0001). Psychological assessment pre- and post-EM were 9% and 50% (P = 0.0002), respectively. Conclusions: Patients under IV therapy have a more accurate MR documentation than patients under oral therapy. Overall compliance of MR documentation was significantly improved after an EM, a part of an integrated EP. Psychological assessment documentation has not only improved, but it is expected that more attention has been given to this valuation by oncologists.