Symptom Profile and Risk Factors Associated with Long Covid Syndrome - A Prospective Observational Study at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Kashmir

ABSTRACT

Background: Covid-19 disease initially started as respiratory illness but later was found to involve almost all organ systems. Earlier the focus of the research was more on preventing transmission of the disease and mortality but with time focus has shifted to addressing the impact of the disease on quality of life and managing the Long Covid Syndrome. Aim(s) To study symptom profile in Post-Covid patients and risk factors associated with Long Covid Syndrome. Material(s) and Method(s) This observational, single-centre prospective study was conducted on Covid-19 patients who presented to postcovid clinic, during the months of July 2021 to December 2021, at Chest Diseases Hospital, Srinagar. Patients who had microbiologically confirmed Covid-19 Disease were included in the study. Patients were evaluated for Long Covid symptoms. Hospital stay, disease severity and co-morbidities of the patients were also taken into account. Result(s) In total of 720 patients, 388 were females and 332 were males. 622 patients had post-Covid symptoms, out of which 516 patients had received hospital care and 106 were treated on outpatient basis. Fatigue, shortness of breath, cough, headache and sleep disturbances were the most common complaints in patients who presented to our post-Covid clinic. It was also observed that female sex, prolonged hospital stay and older age were associated with Long Covid symptoms. Patient with severe disease were also at higher risk of having Long Covid symptoms. Conclusion(s) In our study, we concluded that Long Covid symptoms can be disabling for patients and have huge impact on quality of life of patients. Further studies are needed to understand the pathophysiology of Long Covid Syndrome and explore therapeutic options for the same.