Health consequences after Covid-19 infection: Are there persistent health impairments? An epidemiological study at the University Hospital of Essen

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Karl-Heinz Jöckel; Professor Dr. Bernd Kowall; Professor Dr. Börge Schmidt; Professor Dr. Andreas Stang
• Subject Area: Epidemiology and Medical Biometry/Statistics
• Term: from 2021 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 458514228

First, still unsystematic observations and smaller studies suggest that Covid-19 patients treated in hospital continue to show symptoms typical of Covid-19 even after discharge, and that the new coronavirus can be detected not only in the airways and lungs, but also in the pharynx, heart, liver, kidney and brain. There is also evidence that SARS-CoV-2 could have a diabetogenic effect in people infected with covid-19 and cause neurological and psychiatric impairment.The Institute of Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology therefore applies for a project with the aim of clarifying whether a Covid-19 infection is associated with persistent health problems in a broad patient population which is not focused on hospitalized persons. In the study, positively tested persons are to be compared with negatively tested persons and persons from the general population, particularly with regard to psychosocial, cognitive, metabolic, pulmonary and cardiovascular factors. At the time of the planned study, the test for the virus should have been performed at least 12 months ago. The central questions of the study aim to determine whether the three study groups differ with regard to quality of life, cognitive performance, lung function, the presence of poorly controlled diabetes mellitus and the presence of subatherosclerotic factors. The diversity of the variables investigated ensures the interdisciplinary orientation of the project.In the Essen urban area, approximately 1000 people have so far been tested positive for Covid-19 and a further 7000 people negative. In cooperation with the Health Department of the City of Essen, 400 positive and 400 negative tested persons will be randomly selected and invited to participate in the present study. The third study group of 800 additional persons from the general population will be selected from the Heinz Nixdorf MultiGenerationsStudy (MGS) already underway at the Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology. The applicants have already carried out a study with around 5500 Essen citizens in the context of the pandemic control of the city of Essen. A first result was the establishment of a score to identify persons who have an increased probability of a positive test result. Furthermore, the applicants have many years of experience in conducting epidemiological field studies (e.g. Heinz-Nixdorf Recall Study (HNR), 1000 Brain Study, HNR MultiGenerationsStudy (MGS) and the National Cohort (NAKO)). Within the framework of the planned study, the participants will undergo an examination programme that is firmly established in the study centre of the Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants