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

首先，尚不系统的观察和规模较小的研究表明，在医院接受治疗的Covid-19患者即使在出院后仍会出现典型的Covid-19症状，而且新的冠状病毒不仅可以在呼吸道和肺部检测到，还可以在咽、心、肝、肾和大脑中检测到。还有证据表明，SARS-CoV-2可能对感染covid-19的人有致糖尿病作用，并导致神经和精神障碍。因此，医学信息学、生物计量学和流行病学研究所申请了一个项目，目的是澄清Covid-19感染是否与非住院患者的广泛患者群体中的持续健康问题有关。在这项研究中，将检测呈阳性的人与检测呈阴性的人和一般人群进行比较，特别是在社会心理、认知、代谢、肺部和心血管因素方面。在计划进行研究时，病毒检测应该至少在12个月前进行。该研究的核心问题旨在确定三个研究组在生活质量、认知能力、肺功能、控制不良的糖尿病和动脉粥样硬化下因素的存在方面是否存在差异。研究变量的多样性确保了项目的跨学科方向。在埃森市区，到目前为止，约有1000人的Covid-19检测呈阳性，另有7000人呈阴性。在与埃森市卫生局的合作下，将随机选择400名检测呈阳性和400名检测呈阴性的人参加本研究。第三个研究小组将从医学信息学、生物计量学和流行病学研究所正在进行的Heinz Nixdorf多代研究（MGS）中选出800名普通人群。申请人已经在埃森市流行病控制的背景下对大约5500名埃森公民进行了一项研究。第一个结果是建立了一个分数，以确定哪些人的测试结果呈阳性的可能性更大。此外，申请人具有多年流行病学现场研究经验（如Heinz-Nixdorf回忆研究（HNR）， 1000脑研究，HNR多代研究（MGS）和国家队列研究（NAKO））。在计划研究的框架内，参与者将接受在医学信息学、生物计量学和流行病学研究所研究中心确定的考试方案。

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.