Clinical and Socio-Demographic Variables Associated With Long COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Considering the importance of long COVID-19 (LC), this study aimed to investigate the relationship between clinical/sociodemographic factors and LC symptoms (LCS). This online cross-sectional study was conducted on 308 people infected with COVID-19 in Alborz, Iran, from April 1 to June 1, 2022. Multivariable logistic regression models were applied to measure the association between the LCS with other variables. Overall, 76.6% of participants had at least one LCS. Results from the multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that females (crude odds ratio [OR] [95% confidence interval (CI)]: 2.725 [1.42, 5.22]), educated persons (3.747 [1.58, 8.84]), people with a higher number of COVID-19 reinfection (2.280 [1.30, 3.97]), having an underlying disease (1.996 [1.01, 3.93]), and COVID-19 severity (3.321 [1.037, 10.635]) had higher odds of LC than others (all p < .05). Study findings provide additional clinical/sociodemographic data on risk for LC. These data may inform future research and clinical practice for potential risk identification and early intervention.

Clustering Analysis Identified Three Long COVID Phenotypes and Their Association with General Health Status and Working Ability.

BACKGROUND/AIM: This study aimed to distinguish different phenotypes of long COVID through the post-COVID syndrome (PCS) score based on long-term persistent symptoms following COVID-19 and evaluate whether these symptoms affect general health and work ability. In addition, the study identified predictors for severe long COVID. METHOD: This cluster analysis included cross-sectional data from three cohorts of patients after COVID-19: non-hospitalized (n = 401), hospitalized (n = 98) and those enrolled at the post-COVID outpatient's clinic (n = 85). All the subjects responded to the survey on persistent long-term symptoms and sociodemographic and clinical factors. K-Means cluster analysis and ordinal logistic regression were used to create PCS scores that were used to distinguish patients' phenotypes. RESULTS: 506 patients with complete data on persistent symptoms were divided into three distinct phenotypes: none/mild (59%), moderate (22%) and severe (19%). The patients with severe phenotype, with the predominating symptoms were fatigue, cognitive impairment and depression, had the most reduced general health status and work ability. Smoking, snuff, body mass index (BMI), diabetes, chronic pain and symptom severity at COVID-19 onset were factors predicting severe phenotype. CONCLUSION: This study suggested three phenotypes of long COVID, where the most severe was associated with the highest impact on general health status and working ability. This knowledge on long COVID phenotypes could be used by clinicians to support their medical decisions regarding prioritizing and more detailed follow-up of some patient groups.

Prevalence and Severity of Symptoms 3 Months After Infection With SARS-CoV-2 Compared to Test-Negative and Population Controls in the Netherlands.

BACKGROUND: This prospective study assesses symptoms 3 months after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection compared to test-negative and population controls, and the effect of vaccination prior to infection. METHODS: Participants enrolled after a positive (cases) or negative (test-negative controls) SARS-CoV-2 test, or after invitation from the general population (population controls). After 3 months, participants indicated presence of 41 symptoms and severity of 4 symptoms. Permutation tests were used to select symptoms significantly elevated in cases compared to controls and to compare symptoms between cases that were vaccinated or unvaccinated prior to infection. RESULTS: In total, 9166 cases, 1698 symptomatic but test-negative controls, and 3708 population controls enrolled. At 3 months, 13 symptoms, and severity of fatigue, cognitive impairment, and dyspnea were significantly elevated incases compared to controls. Of cases, 48.5% reported ≥1 significantly elevated symptom compared to 29.8% of test-negative controls and 26.0% of population controls. Effect of vaccination could be determined for cases aged <65 years, and was significantly protective for loss of smell and taste but not for other symptoms. DISCUSSION: Three months after SARS-CoV-2 infection, almost half of cases report symptoms, which was higher than background prevalence and test-negative prevalence. Vaccination prior to infection was protective against loss of smell and taste in cases aged <65 years.

Long COVID: a narrative review of the clinical aftermaths of COVID-19 with a focus on the putative pathophysiology and aspects of physical activity.

The pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can cause multi-systemic symptoms that can persist beyond the acute symptomatic phase. The post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), also referred to as long COVID, describe the persistence of symptoms and/or long-term complications beyond 4 weeks from the onset of the acute symptoms and are estimated to affect at least 20% of the individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 regardless of their acute disease severity. The multi-faceted clinical picture of long COVID encompasses a plethora of undulating clinical manifestations impacting various body systems such as fatigue, headache, attention disorder, hair loss and exercise intolerance. The physiological response to exercise testing is characterized by a reduced aerobic capacity, cardiocirculatory limitations, dysfunctional breathing patterns and an impaired ability to extract and use oxygen. Still, to this day, the causative pathophysiological mechanisms of long COVID remain to be elucidated, with long-term organ damage, immune system dysregulation and endotheliopathy being among the hypotheses discussed. Likewise, there is still a paucity of treatment options and evidence-based strategies for the management of the symptoms. In sum, this review explores different aspects of long COVID and maps the literature on what is known about its clinical manifestations, potential pathophysiological mechanisms, and treatment options.

Symptoms of Long-COVID 1-Year after a COVID-19 outbreak among sailors on a French aircraft carrier.

OBJECTIVES: While persistent symptoms have been reported after the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), long-term data on outpatients with mild COVID-19 are lacking. The objective was to describe symptoms persisting for 12 months. METHODS: This prospective cohort study on 1767 sailors of an aircraft carrier in which a Covid-19 outbreak occurred during a mission in April 2020 described predefined self-reported symptoms of Long-COVID at 6, 9 and 12 months. Logistic-regression analyses were used to identify correlates for Long-COVID at months 6, 9 and 12. RESULTS: Among the 641 participants, 619 (35%) completed at least one follow-up questionnaire (413 COVID-positive and 206 COVID-negative). Symptoms of Long-COVID were reported by 53.7%, 55.2% and 54.3% of COVID-positive participants vs 31.2%, 23.3% and 40.0% in COVID-negative patients, at 6 (p <.002), 9 (p <.002) and 12 months (p =.13), respectively. The most frequent symptoms reported were concentration and memory difficulties, asthenia and sleep disorders. CONCLUSION: In this study more than half of COVID-positive outpatients reported persistent symptoms up to 12 months post-quarantine. These findings suggests that all patients, including those with mild disease, can be affected by Long-COVID. A lack of difference at 12 months with COVID-negative patienys prompts caution. The symptoms of Long-COVID are so non-specific that they may be viewed as the consequence of multiple intercurrent factors.

Patients' Health Experiences of Post COVID-19 Condition-A Qualitative Study.

Patients who suffer from long-term symptoms of COVID-19, described as post COVID-19 condition, are a new and large group of patients. There is a lack of knowledge concerning health experiences in this patient group. The aim of this study was to explore patients' health experiences of post COVID-19 condition. Data collection was performed through 14 semi-structured interviews. The qualitative content analysis resulted in six sub-categories, three categories, and an overall theme. Patients experienced symptoms of varying duration-ranging from 5-21 months. The results showed that patients' health experiences of post COVID-19 condition moved between uncertainty and new insights. This was shown by patients experiencing: (1) loss of abilities, including losing smell and taste and lacking energy, (2) loss of control, including being foreign to oneself and seeking answers, and (3) revaluation of life, including accepting the transformed body and prioritizing health. This study illustrates that patients living with post COVID-19 condition need to be treated with flexibility, based on each individual's unique challenges and experiences of the symptoms and the consequences for their health.

Predictors of post-COVID-19 and the impact of persistent symptoms in non-hospitalized patients 12 months after COVID-19, with a focus on work ability.

Background: Better knowledge of long-term symptoms following coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the so-called post-COVID-19, in non-hospitalized patients is needed. The aim of this study was to study persisent symptoms up to 12 months after COVID-19 in non-hospitalized patients and their impact on work ability. We also investigated predictors of persistent symptoms. Methods: This study encompassed non-hospitalized adult subjects with a COVID-19 infection confirmed via positive nasopharyngeal swab polymerase chain reaction test during the first wave of the pandemic in Uppsala, Sweden. In total, 566 subjects were sent a survey via e-mail or post with an invitation to participate in the survey 12 months post-diagnosis. The majority of subjects were healthcare workers, as this group was prioritized for testing. Results: A total of 366 subjects responded, with 47% reporting persistent symptoms 12 months after their COVID-19 diagnosis. The most commonly reported symptoms at this time were impaired sense of smell and/or taste and fatigue. Among the predictors of persistent symptoms were being born abroad, lower physical fitness compared with peers before COVID-19, body mass index >25 kg/m2, cooccurrence of hypertension and chronic pain, and having more than seven of the general COVID-19 symptoms at the onset. Respondents with symptoms after 12 months self-reported negatively about their general health and work ability. Conclusions: This study indicated that many people who had mild COVID-19 might have a variety of long-term symptoms. It highlights the importance of considering work ability after mild COVID-19.

Multidimensional phenotyping of the post-COVID-19 syndrome: A Swiss survey study.

INTRODUCTION: Post-COVID-19 syndrome affects approximately 10-25% of people after a COVID-19 infection, irrespective of initial COVID-19 severity. The aim of this project was to assess the clinical characteristics, course, and prognosis of post-COVID-19 syndrome using a systematic multidimensional approach. PATIENTS AND METHODS: An online survey of people with suspected and confirmed COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 syndrome, distributed via Swiss COVID-19 support groups, social media, and our post-COVID-19 consultation, was performed. A total of 8 post-infectious domains were assessed with 120 questions. Data were collected from October 15 to December 12, 2021, and 309 participants were included. Analysis of clinical phenomenology of post-COVID-19 syndrome was performed using comparative statistics. RESULTS: The three most prevalent post-COVID-19 symptoms in our survey cohort were fatigue (288/309, 93.2%), pain including headache (218/309, 70.6%), and sleep-wake disturbances (mainly insomnia and excessive daytime sleepiness, 145/309, 46.9%). Post-COVID-19 syndrome had an impact on work ability, as more than half of the respondents (168/268, 62.7%) reported an inability to work, which lasted on average 26.6 weeks (95% CI 23.5-29.6, range 1-94, n = 168). Quality of life measured by WHO-5 Well-being Index was overall low in respondents with post-COVID-19 syndrome (mean, 95% CI 9.1 [8.5-9.8], range 1-25, n = 239). CONCLUSION: Fatigue, pain, and sleep-wake disturbances were the main symptoms of the post-COVID-19 syndrome in our cohort and had an impact on the quality of life and ability to work in a majority of patients. However, survey respondents reported a significant reduction in symptoms over 12 months. Post-COVID-19 syndrome remains a significant challenge. Further studies to characterize this syndrome and to explore therapeutic options are therefore urgently needed.

Functional decline, long term symptoms and course of frailty at 3-months follow-up in COVID-19 older survivors, a prospective observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Aging is one of the most important prognostic factors increasing the risk of clinical severity and mortality of COVID-19 infection. However, among patients over 75 years, little is known about post-acute functional decline. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with functional decline 3 months after COVID-19 onset, to identify long term COVID-19 symptoms and transitions between frailty statesafter COVID-19 onset in older hospitalized patients. METHODS: This prospective observational study included COVID-19 patients consecutively hospitalized from March to December 2020 in Acute Geriatric Ward in Nantes University Hospital. Functional decline, frailty status and long term symptoms were assessed at 3 month follow up. Functional status was assessed using the Activities of Daily Living simplified scale (ADL). Frailty status was evaluated using Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS). We performed multivariable analyses to identify factors associated with functional decline. RESULTS: Among the 318 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 infection, 198 were alive 3 months after discharge. At 3 months, functional decline occurred in 69 (36%) patients. In multivariable analysis, a significant association was found between functional decline and stroke (OR = 4,57, p = 0,003), history of depressive disorder (OR = 3,05, p = 0,016), complications (OR = 2,24, p = 0,039), length of stay (OR = 1,05, p = 0,025) and age (OR = 1,08, p = 0,028). At 3 months, 75 patients described long-term symptoms (49.0%). Of those with frailty (CFS scores ≥5) at 3-months follow-up, 30% were not frail at baseline. Increasing frailty defined by a worse CFS state between baseline and 3 months occurred in 41 patients (26.8%). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that both the severity of the COVID-19 infection and preexisting medical conditions correlates with a functional decline at distance of the infection. This encourages practitioners to establish discharge personalized care plan based on a multidimensional geriatric assessment and in parallel on clinical severity evaluation.

Fatigue in Post-COVID-19 Syndrome: Clinical Phenomenology, Comorbidities and Association With Initial Course of COVID-19.

Introduction: Post-COVID-19 syndrome affects approximately 10-25% of people suffering from COVID-19 infection, irrespective of initial COVID-19 severity. Fatigue is one of the major symptoms, occurring in 30-90% of people with post-COVID-19 syndrome. This study aims at describing factors associated with fatigue in people with Post-COVID-19 seen in our newly established Post-Covid clinic. Methods: This retrospective single center study included 42 consecutive patients suffering from Post-COVID-19 syndrome treated at the Department of Neurology, University Hospital Bern, between 11/2020 and05/2021. Clinical phenomenology of Post-COVID-19 syndrome with a special focus on fatigue and risk factor identification was performed using Mann-Whitney U Test, Pearson Correlation, and Chi-Quadrat-Test. Results: Fatigue (90.5%) was the most prevalent Post-COVID-19 symptom followed by depressive mood (52.4%) and sleep disturbance (47.6%). Fatigue was in mean severe (Fatigue severity scale (FSS) mean 5.5 points (95% Confidence interval (95CI) 5.1 - 5.9, range .9 - 6.9, n = 40), and it was unrelated to age, COVID-19 severity or sex. The only related factors with fatigue severity were daytime sleepiness and depressed mood. Conclusion: Fatigue is the main symptom of the Post-COVID-19 syndrome in our cohort. Further studies describing this syndrome are needed to prepare the healthcare systems for the challenge of treating patients with Post-COVID-19 syndrome.

Long-Term Symptoms among Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients 48 Weeks after Discharge-A Prospective Cohort Study.

Follow-up studies of COVID-19 survivors have been performed to characterize persistence of long-term symptoms, but data are scarce on one year of follow-up. This study provides data from 48 weeks of follow-up after discharge. All patients discharged from the Department of Infectious Diseases at Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark between 1 March and 1 July 2020 were followed for 48 weeks. In total, 45 of 66 eligible patients were interviewed after 48 weeks. The median age was 57 (IQR 51-70) years, the majority were female (53%) and Caucasian (87%). Median BMI was 28.1 (IQR 24.8-32.6) kg/m2. One or more comorbidities were registered among 62% of the patients. In total, 39 out of 45 (87%) interviewed patients reported persistence of at least one symptom 48 weeks after hospitalization with COVID-19. Most frequently reported symptoms were fatigue, dyspnea, and concentration difficulties. This study provides new long-term data following COVID-19, contributing to the accumulating data of COVID-19 sequelae. Many patients suffer long-term sequelae and further research is urgently needed to gain further knowledge of the duration and therapeutic options.

Symptoms reported by SARS-CoV-2 seropositive and seronegative healthcare and administrative employees in Denmark from May to August 2020.

BACKGROUND: The distribution and nature of symptoms among SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals need to be clarified. METHODS: Between May and August 2020, 11 138 healthcare and administrative personnel from Central Denmark Region were tested for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and subsequently completed a questionnaire. Symptom prevalence and overall duration for symptoms persisting for more than 30 days were calculated. Logistic regression models were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CIs. RESULTS: In total, 447 (4%) of the participants were SARS-CoV-2-seropositive. Loss of sense of smell and taste was reported by 50% of seropositives compared with 3% of seronegatives. Additionally, seropositives more frequently reported fever, dyspnoea, muscle or joint ache, fatigue, cough, headache and sore throat, and they were more likely to report symptoms persisting for more than 30 days. In adjusted models, they had a higher risk of reporting symptoms, with the strongest association observed for loss of sense of taste and smell (OR = 35.6; 95% CI: 28.6-44.3). CONCLUSION: In this large study, SARS-CoV-2-seropositive participants reported COVID-19-associated symptoms more frequently than those who were seronegative, especially loss of sense of taste and smell. Overall, their symptoms were also more likely to persist for more than 30 days.

Post-COVID-19 Syndrome: The Persistent Symptoms at the Post-viral Stage of the Disease. A Systematic Review of the Current Data.

Whilst the entire world is battling the second wave of COVID-19, a substantial proportion of patients who have suffered from the condition in the past months are reporting symptoms that last for months after recovery, i. e., long-term COVID-19 symptoms. We aimed to assess the current evidence on the long-term symptoms in COVID-19 patients. We did a systematic review on PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Google Scholar from database inception to February 15, 2021, for studies on long-term COVID-19 symptoms. We included all type of papers that reported at least one long-term COVID-19 symptom. We screened studies using a standardized data collection form and pooled data from published studies. Cohort cross-sectional, case-report, cases-series, case-control studies, and review were graded using specific quality assessment tools. Of 11,361 publications found following our initial search we assessed 218 full-text articles, of which 145 met all selection criteria. We found that 20.70% of reports on long-term COVID-19 symptoms were on abnormal lung functions, 24.13% on neurologic complaints and olfactory dysfunctions, and 55.17% on specific widespread symptoms, mainly chronic fatigue, and pain. Despite the relatively high heterogeneity of the reviewed studies, our findings highlighted that a noteworthy proportion of patients who have suffered from SARS-CoV-2 infection present a "post-COVID syndrome." The multifaceted understanding of all aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including these long-term symptoms, will allow us to respond to all the global health challenges, thus paving the way to a stronger public health.

Understanding and Being Understood: Information and Care Needs of 2113 Patients With Confirmed or Suspected COVID-19.

To become a proactive and informed partner in postacute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) management, patients need to have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to self-manage COVID-19-related health challenges. Due to several restrictions and consequently social isolation, online platforms and forums where people can share information and experiences became more popular and influential. Therefore, this study aimed to identify perceived information needs and care needs of members of 2 Facebook groups for patients with COVID-19 and persistent complaints in the Netherlands and Belgium and patients with COVID-19 who registered at a website of the Lung Foundation Netherlands. Besides demographics and clinical characteristics, the degree of satisfaction with care during and after the infection as well as satisfaction with available information were assessed. Open text fields revealed specific information needs which were summarized. Patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 perceive various unmet needs varying from specific information needs (eg, information about permanent lung damage) to general needs (eg, being heard and understood). These data lead to several recommendations to improve care for patients with COVID-19 and justify further development of online platforms specifically addressing these unmet needs.

SARS CoV-2 related microvascular damage and symptoms during and after COVID-19: Consequences of capillary transit-time changes, tissue hypoxia and inflammation.

Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) causes symptoms from multiple organs after infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS CoV-2). They range from early, low blood oxygen levels (hypoxemia) without breathlessness ("silent hypoxia"), delirium, rashes, and loss of smell (anosmia), to persisting chest pain, muscle weakness and -pain, fatigue, confusion, memory problems and difficulty to concentrate ("brain fog"), mood changes, and unexpected onset of hypertension or diabetes. SARS CoV-2 affects the microcirculation, causing endothelial cell swelling and damage (endotheliitis), microscopic blood clots (microthrombosis), capillary congestion, and damage to pericytes that are integral to capillary integrity and barrier function, tissue repair (angiogenesis), and scar formation. Similar to other instances of critical illness, COVID-19 is also associated with elevated cytokine levels in the systemic circulation. This review examines how capillary damage and inflammation may contribute to these acute and persisting COVID-19 symptoms by interfering with blood and tissue oxygenation and with brain function. Undetectable by current diagnostic methods, capillary flow disturbances limit oxygen diffusion exchange in lungs and tissue and may therefore cause hypoxemia and tissue hypoxia. The review analyzes the combined effects of COVID-19-related capillary damage, pre-existing microvascular changes, and upstream vascular tone on tissue oxygenation in key organs. It identifies a vicious cycle, as infection- and hypoxia-related inflammation cause capillary function to deteriorate, which in turn accelerates hypoxia-related inflammation and tissue damage. Finally, the review addresses the effects of low oxygen and high cytokine levels in brain tissue on neurotransmitter synthesis and mood. Methods to assess capillary functions in human organs and therapeutic means to protect capillary functions and stimulate capillary bed repair may prove important for the individualized management of COVID-19 patients and targeted rehabilitation strategies.