Viral arthralgia a new manifestation of COVID-19 infection? A cohort study of COVID-19-associated musculoskeletal symptoms.
Int J Infect Dis
; 104: 363-369, 2021 Mar.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1033149
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
Musculoskeletal symptoms are often unrecognised as a prominent feature of COVID-19 infection. This study hypothesised that viral arthralgia is an uncommon but distinct manifestation of COVID-19 infection. In addition, it aimed to characterise the other musculoskeletal presentations of COVID-19 infection and study their prognostic implications.METHODS:
Patients hospitalised with COVID-19 infection were divided into two groups those with and without musculoskeletal symptoms. Those with musculoskeletal symptoms were subdivided according to four patterns of musculoskeletal involvement myalgia, arthralgia, backache and generalised body ache. Using binary regression logistic analysis, the risk of developing a viral pneumonia in patients with and without musculoskeletal complaints was compared.RESULTS:
Of 294 hospitalised patients with COVID-19, 88 (30%) reported musculoskeletal complaints. Among these 88 patients, 37.5% had myalgia, 5.7% arthralgia, 6.8% new-onset backache and 50% generalised body ache. The presence of musculoskeletal complaints was not associated with the risk of developing viral pneumonia (6.8% vs. 9.7%, OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.26-1.76, p = 0.426). COVID-19 arthralgia was often more severe and had variable onset, while generalised body ache and myalgia were milder and coincided with the occurrence of fever or respiratory symptoms.CONCLUSION:
Viral arthralgia is a novel clinical manifestation of COVID-19, and untypical of a viral prodrome or a reactive arthropathy. While musculoskeletal symptoms were not associated with developing a pneumonia, to avoid missing a diagnosis of COVID-19, clinicians should be aware of its variable onset, particularly when respiratory symptoms are absent at the time of presentation.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Pneumonia, Viral
/
Arthralgia
/
Myalgia
/
SARS-CoV-2
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Diagnostic study
/
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
English
Journal:
Int J Infect Dis
Journal subject:
Communicable Diseases
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
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