Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42204241›Full record

Observational studyScientific reports2026

Long-term cognitive outcomes after mild COVID-19, critical COVID-19, and non-COVID critical illness: a prospective cohort comparison.

Vanessa Raeder, Anneke Quitschau, Anna Gorsler, Nadine Külzow, Maria Schroeder, Anne Pohrt, Irina Eckert, Christiana Franke

Abstract readObservational StudyComparative StudyMulticenter Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in Scientific reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

8 authors.

Vanessa RaederCharité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Department of Neurology and Experimental Neurology, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203, Berlin, Germany. vanessa.raeder@charite.de.
Anneke QuitschauCharité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Department of Neurology and Experimental Neurology, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203, Berlin, Germany.
Anna GorslerFachklinik Für Neurologische Frührehabilitation, Kliniken Beelitz GmbH, Beelitz-Heilstätten, Brandenburg, Germany.
Nadine KülzowFachklinik Für Neurologische Frührehabilitation, Kliniken Beelitz GmbH, Beelitz-Heilstätten, Brandenburg, Germany.
Maria SchroederCharité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Department of Neurology and Experimental Neurology, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203, Berlin, Germany.
Anne PohrtCharité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Institute of Biometry and Clinical Epidemiology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
Irina EckertCharité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Department of Neurology and Experimental Neurology, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203, Berlin, Germany.
Christiana FrankeCharité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Department of Neurology and Experimental Neurology, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203, Berlin, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Long-term cognitive impairment is a recognized sequela of the post-COVID-19 condition (PCC). While it is unclear how acute COVID-19 severity contributes to these lasting deficits, some evidence suggests that critical illness may lead to cognitive deficits similar to post-intensive care syndrome. This study examined long-term cognitive, mental, and physical health in patients with varying acute COVID-19 severity (mild to critical), alongside patients critically ill from non-COVID-19 causes. We conducted a bicentric prospective observational study comparing patients with PCC after mild COVID-19 (n = 30), those requiring ICU care for acute COVID-19 (n = 14), and patients with prolonged non-COVID-19 ICU stays (n = 7), all assessed ≥ 12 weeks post-onset. Comprehensive neuropsychological assessments were conducted alongside evaluations of physical impairments, psychiatric symptoms, fatigue and health-related quality of life. Overall cognition was comparable between the mild COVID-19 and ICU groups. However, the mild COVID-19 group experienced higher cognitive fatigue and lower memory satisfaction than both ICU groups, along with higher rates of anxiety (59% vs. 15%) and depression (38% vs. 15%), and reduced mental health-related quality of life compared to COV-ICU patients. Long-term cognitive impairment occurred in PCC patients and ICU survivors, irrespective of acute disease severity. Patients with mild COVID-19 reported greater long-term psychological distress.Trial registration: This study was retrospectively registered at the German Clinical Trials Register, DRKS00025523 on 21 June 2021 ( https://drks.de/search/de/trial/DRKS00025523 ).

Indexed as

CognitionCognitive DysfunctionCOVID-19Critical IllnessAgedFemaleHumansIntensive Care UnitsMaleMiddle AgedNeuropsychological TestsPost-Acute COVID-19 SyndromeProspective StudiesQuality of LifeSARS-CoV-2Severity of Illness IndexCognitive impairmentCritical illnessIntensive care unitPost-acute infection syndromesPost COVID-19 conditionPost-intensive care syndrome

Identifiers

PMID42204241
PMCPMC13216524

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.