Post-COVID-19 syndrome and related dysautonomia affect patients life and work productivity (preprint)

Background: A significant percentage of COVID-19 patients experience post-COVID-19 symptoms and signs. Post-COVID-19 syndrome affects physical and mental health of patients in several ways. Aim: To investigate the impact of post-COVID-19 syndrome and related dysautonomia on patients life and work productivity. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in Greece using an online questionnaire. Study population included 108 workers over 18 years old that have been diagnosed with post-COVID-19 syndrome. Patients were recruited from the Long COVID Greece patients society. We measured demographic and clinical characteristics of patients, resilience, and social support. Results: Among patients, 68.5% stated that post-COVID-19 syndrome affected their daily life to a great extent, 25% to a moderate level, and 6.5% to a small extent. Moreover, 56.5% stated that post-COVID-19 syndrome affected their work productivity to a great extent, 27.8% to a moderate level, and 15.7% to a small extent. Multivariable analysis identified that females and patients with post-COVID-19 dysautonomia had more problems in their daily life. Moreover, increased duration of COVID-19 symptoms was associated with increased daily problems. Increased resilience was related with fewer problems in daily life. Also, we found that patients with post-COVID-19 dysautonomia had less work productivity. Moreover, increased duration of COVID-19 symptoms was associated with more problems in work. Resilience was related with increased work productivity. Conclusions: Post-COVID-19 syndrome and related dysautonomia affect significantly patients daily and work life. Also, resilience is an important preventive factor improving patients life. Policy makers should develop and implement educational programs to improve patients life. Healthcare professionals should be aware of the post-COVID-19 syndrome and its consequences in order to understand post-COVID-19 patients and their problems.

Post-COVID-19 syndrome and related dysautonomia reduce quality of life, and increase anxiety and depressive symptoms: evidence from Greece (preprint)

Background: Post-COVID-19 syndrome affects a significant number of SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals even asymptomatic cases causing several neurological and neuropsychiatric symptoms and signs. Materials and Methods: An online cross-sectional study with a convenience sample was conducted in Greece from November 2022 to January 2023. We measured demographic and clinical characteristics of patients, post-COVID-19 dysautonomia, quality of life with the EQ-5D-3L, and anxiety and depressive symptoms with the Patient Health Questionnaire-4. Results: Study population included 122 patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome. One out of four patients (27.8%) manifested post-COVID-19 dysautonomia, while mean duration of COVID-19 symptoms was 11.6 months. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were worse after the post-COVID-19 syndrome (p<0.001 in both cases). A statistically significant reduction in quality of life was observed among patients after the post-COVID-19 syndrome (p<0.001 for both EQ-5D-3L index value and EQ-5D-3L VAS). Post-COVID-19 dysautonomia increased depression symptoms after the post-COVID-19 syndrome (p=0.02). We found a negative relationship between duration of COVID-19 symptoms and quality of life (p<0.001). Moreover, our results showed that depressive symptoms were more often among females after the post-COVID-19 syndrome (p=0.01). Also, quality of life was lower among females than males (p=0.004 for EQ-5D-3L index value, and p=0.007 for EQ-5D-3L VAS). Conclusions: Our results suggest that post-COVID-19 syndrome causes a tremendous impact on patients quality of life and mental health. In addition, we found that the groups most psychologically affected were patients with post-COVID-19 dysautonomia, females, and patients with longer duration of symptoms. Policy makers should attach priority to vulnerable groups in future psychiatric planning. Policy measures should focus on mental health of post-COVID-19 patients who seem to be particularly vulnerable.

Resilience and social support improve mental health and quality of life in patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome (preprint)

The effects of post-COVID-19 syndrome on patients' life are significant. As there is no prior study available, we investigated the impact of resilience and social support on anxiety, depression, and quality of life among patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome. We conducted a cross-sectional study with a convenience sample. The measures included demographic and clinical characteristics of patients, the Brief Resilience Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Patient Health Questionnaire-4, and the EuroQol-5D-3L. Multivariable analysis identified that resilience and social support reduced anxiety and depression among our patients. Also, we found a significant positive relationship between resilience and social support, and quality of life. In conclusion, our findings suggest that resilience and social support can be protective by reducing anxiety and depression, and improving quality of life among patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome. Policy makers should develop and implement healthcare management programs to provide psychological support to these patients.