Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39885396›Full record

ArticleBMC infectious diseases2025

The incidence of outpatient care within 24 months from SARS-CoV-2 infection in the general population: a multicenter population-based cohort study.

Federico Banchelli, Carlo Gagliotti, Angela De Paoli, Rossella Buttazzi, Elena Narne, Enrico Ricchizzi, Silvia Pierobon, Ugo Fedeli, Gisella Pitter, Elisa Fabbri and 7 more

Abstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors.

Federico Banchelli *Department of innovation in healthcare and social services, Emilia-Romagna Region, Bologna, Italy. federico.banchelli@regione.emilia-romagna.it.
Carlo Gagliotti *Department of innovation in healthcare and social services, Emilia-Romagna Region, Bologna, Italy.
Angela De Paoli *Azienda Zero, Padova, Italy.
Rossella ButtazziDepartment of innovation in healthcare and social services, Emilia-Romagna Region, Bologna, Italy.
Elena NarneAzienda Zero, Padova, Italy.
Enrico RicchizziDepartment of innovation in healthcare and social services, Emilia-Romagna Region, Bologna, Italy.
Silvia PierobonAzienda Zero, Padova, Italy.
Ugo FedeliAzienda Zero, Padova, Italy.
Gisella PitterAzienda Zero, Padova, Italy.
Elisa FabbriDepartment of innovation in healthcare and social services, Emilia-Romagna Region, Bologna, Italy.
Michele TononDirectorate of prevention, food safety, and veterinary public health, Veneto Region, Venezia, Italy.
Elisa GentilottiDepartment of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
Maurizia RolliDepartment of innovation in healthcare and social services, Emilia-Romagna Region, Bologna, Italy.
Evelina TacconelliDepartment of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
Maria Luisa Moro *Regional Health and Social Care Agency, Emilia-Romagna Region, Bologna, Italy.
Francesca Russo *Directorate of prevention, food safety, and veterinary public health, Veneto Region, Venezia, Italy.
Elena Berti *Department of innovation in healthcare and social services, Emilia-Romagna Region, Bologna, Italy.

Funding

European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme grant agreement No. 101016167
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe long-term effects of COVID-19, which can vary significantly in type and timing, are considered relevant and impacting on the well-being of individuals. The present study aims to assess the incidence of outpatient care in the post-acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection in two Italian regions.

methodsThe study has a multicentre, population-based, pre-post, repeated measures design to compare the incidence rate of access to outpatient visits and diagnostics before and after SARS-CoV-2 infection, considering a follow-up of 24 months. The study made use of previously recorded large-scale healthcare data available in the administrative databases of the Emilia-Romagna (E-R) and Veneto regions. Analyses were carried out separately in the two regions and results were pooled using random effects meta-analysis.

resultsThere were 27,140 subjects in E-R and 22,876 in Veneto who were included in the analysis. The pooled outputs showed an increase in rates of outpatient visits and diagnostics starting from month 2 after SARS-CoV-2 infection (IRR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.56-1.81) with a peak at month 4 (IRR = 2.05, 95% CI = 1.95-2.15); the increase continued with reduced intensity up to month 15. Stratified analysis revealed that subjects with severe acute COVID-19 had a higher increase in rates (up to IRR = 3.96, 95% CI = 2.89-5.44), as well as patients with no comorbidities (up to IRR = 2.71, 95% CI = 2.60-2.83).

conclusionLong-term effects of COVID-19 include an increase in the healthcare burden especially in the first months after the acute infection. The increased demand for resources can last up to two years after infection in particular subgroups of patients such as subjects admitted to hospital during the acute phase due to the severe presentation of the disease.

Indexed as

Ambulatory CareCOVID-19AdultAgedAged, 80 and overCohort StudiesFemaleHumansIncidenceItalyMaleMiddle AgedSARS-CoV-2Young AdultLong-term COVID-19 sequelaeORCHESTRA projectOutpatient carePopulation-based cohortPost-COVIDPre-post studySARS-CoV-2

Identifiers

PMID39885396
PMCPMC11783830

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.