The post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) experience in an outpatient neurology setting

ABSTRACT

Objective: To determine the frequency of post-acute COVID-19 sequelae (PASC) symptoms in an outpatient neurology setting. Background: Symptoms of fatigue, headaches, and memory impairment have been reported in patients with PASC. Design/Methods: This is an observational study of the PASC experience of 98 non-hospitalized COVID-positive patients in neurology outpatient clinics. Participants completed a survey regarding persistent symptoms, after acute infection. Scales of quality of life and cognition were obtained and included the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Neuro-QOL (Anxiety, fatigue, depression). Results: Of 98 participants recruited, 68% of participants were seen in neurology clinic specifically for PASC while 31% were seen for non-COVID related complaints but had a prior positive COVID-19 test. Mean age was 50.5±15.1 and 65% were female. Median time post-acute infection was 9.0 (IQR 4.7-11.7/range 0.5 - 16.8) months. Of the 93 participants with symptoms after 6 weeks, the most frequent symptoms reported were fatigue (67%), headaches (49%), muscle aches (48%), word-finding difficulty (48%), difficulty sleeping (47%), shortness of breath (47%), and change in memory (46%). The most common pre-morbid conditions were anxiety/depression (32%), hypertension (26%), pulmonary disease (23%), and autoimmune (17%). BMI>25 was present in 68%. 41% had a prior neurological condition with migraines being the most common (18%). There was no statistically significant difference in reported symptoms, pre-morbid conditions, sex, and age between participants who presented with PASC versus other neurological complaints. Patients reporting persistent fatigue (n=64) had a mean Neuro-QOL fatigue score of 53.3±9.9. Normal mean MoCA scores were present in patients reporting word finding difficulty or memory change (19.3±2.4 points) and in participants with abnormal Neuro-QOL scores (19.4±2.1 points). Conclusions: Patients with PASC in a neurology outpatient clinic report persistent neurological, systemic symptoms that affect their quality of life on multiple validated measures. The MoCA test may not be able to detect subtle cognitive deficits in this population.