Persistence of Symptoms and Long-Term Recovery in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients: Results from a Five-Year Follow-Up Cohort

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of persistent symptoms and the radiological and laboratory evolution at 6 months and 5 years after discharge in patients hospitalized for SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia during the first wave of the pandemic in Spain and to estimate the healthcare impact of their follow-up. Methods: A retrospective longitudinal observational study was conducted at the “Hospital Central de la Defensa”. A total of 200 patients aged >18 years with a diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia were screened. Clinical, radiological, and laboratory data were collected from electronic medical records. Patients with symptoms or radiological abnormalities at discharge underwent in-person evaluations, while the remainder were assessed by telephone. Results: A total of 182 patients met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Of these, 112 were assessed in the outpatient setting; 60.7% required in-person evaluations, with normal pulmonary auscultation in 93.6%, complete radiological resolution in 85%, and normalized laboratory parameters in almost all cases. At 6 months, 26.5% presented at least one residual symptom, whereas only three patients (4.5%) reported symptoms at 5 years. No risk factors associated with symptom persistence were identified. The estimated cumulative healthcare cost was EUR 21,627.50. Conclusions: Among patients hospitalized for SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia during the first wave of the pandemic, 26.7% and 4.46% presented at least one persistent symptom at 6 months and 5 years after discharge, respectively.