Table 1 Characteristics of the study sample stratified by sex and reported respectively for time of admission and discharge from outpatient rehabilitation. Differences between women and men at baseline were tested by t-test (metric variables) and chi-square test (factorial variables) and significance is indicated by * for p < 0.05, ** for p < 0.005 and *** for p < 0.0005

Sample Characteristics

Age ***

 Mean (SD), years

45.0 (12.4)

50.2 (12.6)

47.3 (12.8)

Covid-19 ***

 Outpatient, Mild

107 (75.4%)

56 (46.3%)

163 (62.0%)

 Outpatient, Moderate

15 (10.6%)

14 (11.6%)

29 (11.0%)

 Inpatient

14 (9.9%)

34 (28.1%)

48 (18.3%)

 Intensive Care

6 (4.2%)

17 (14.0%)

23 (8.7%)

Time to Outpatient Pulmonary Rehabilitation

 Mean (SD), months

6.47 (4.32)

5.65 (3.57)

6.07 (3.99)

 Missing

34 (23.9%)

19 (15.7%)

53 (20.2%)

Body Mass Index

 Mean (SD), kg/m²

26.4 (5.97)

27.5 (4.81)

26.9 (5.48)

 Overweight

40 (28.6%)

52 (43.0%)

92 (35.2%)

 Obesity

31 (22.1%)

21 (17.4%)

52 (19.9%)

Clinician-Rated Outcomes

6-Minute Walking Distance ***

 Mean (SD), meters

523.1 (84.3)

581.5 (95.9)

583.7 (103.0)

643.0 (102.0)

551.2 (98.1)

610.4 (103.0)

 Below 80% Predicted

34 (24.6%)

12 (10.2%)

24 (19.8%)

4 (3.81%)

58 (22.4%)

16 (7.17%)

 Missing

4 (2.8%)

24 (16.9%)

0

16 (13.2%)

4 (1.5%)

40 (15.2%)

Maximal Inspiratory Pressure ***

 Mean (SD), mBar

70.7 (23.6)

96.4 (26.0)

104.0 (28.6)

127.0 (28.5)

86.0 (30.8)

111.0 (31.3)

 Below 80% Predicted

49 (35.3%)

13 (9.2%)

9 (7.4%)

1 (0.8%)

58 (22.1%)

14 (5.3%)

 Missing

3 (2.1%)

20 (14.1%)

1 (0.8%)

14 (11.6%)

4 (1.5%)

34 (12.9%)

1-Second Forced Expiratory Volume ***

 Mean (SD), liters

2.58 (0.62

2.68 (0.59)

3.36 (0.92)

3.60 (0.93)

2.94 (0.86)

3.11 (0.89)

 Below 80% Predicted

52 (38.5%)

37 (29.4%)

29 (24.6%)

14 (12.7%)

81 (32.0%)

51 (21.6%)

 Missing

7 (4.9%)

16 (11.3%)

3 (2.5%)

11 (9.1%)

10 (3.8%)

27 (10.3%)

DLCO

 Mean (SD), %-predicted

86.1 (17.4)

87.9 (20.0)

83.3 (17.8)

88.6 (18.0)

84.8 (17.6)

88.2 (19.1)

 Below 80% Predicted

39 (32.8%)

34 (30.4%)

39 (37.9%)

26 (27.7%)

78 (35.1%)

60 (29.1%)

 Missing

23 (16.2%)

30 (21.1%)

18 (14.9%)

27 (22.3%)

41 (15.6%)

57 (21.7%)

Patient-Rated Outcomes

Post-Covid Functional Status Scale **

 Mean (SD), points

2.27 (0.80)

1.38 (0.94)

1.97 (0.93)

1.03 (0.98)

2.13 (0.87)

1.22 (0.97)

 Moderate/Severe (≥ 2)

115 (85.2%)

58 (45.0%)

88 (77.2%)

37 (33.9%)

203 (81.5%)

95 (39.9%)

 Missing

7 (4.9%)

13 (9.2%)

7 (5.8%)

12 (9.9%)

14 (5.3%)

25 (9.5%)

Dyspnea (mMRC) **

 None

38 (28.4%)

67 (53.2%)

49 (40.8%)

78 (67.8%)

87 (34.3%)

145 (60.2%)

 I, Exertion

46 (34.3%)

48 (38.1%)

45 (37.5%)

32 (27.8%)

91 (35.8%)

80 (33.2%)

 II - III, Walking

50 (37.3%)

11 (8.73%)

26 (21.7%)

5 (4.35%)

76 (29.9%)

16 (6.64%)

 Missing

8 (5.6%)

16 (11.3%)

1 (0.8%)

6 (5.0%)

9 (3.4%)

22 (8.4%)