RESUMO
BackgroundNo epidemiological data on post coronavirus disease (COVID-19) condition due to Omicron variant has been reported yet. MethodsThis was as a single-center, cross-sectional study, that interviewed via telephone the patients who recovered from Omicron COVID-19 infection (Omicron group), and surveyed via self-reporting questionnaire those patients infected with other strains (control group). Data on patients characteristics, information regarding the acute-phase COVID-19, as well as presence and duration of COVID-19-related symptoms were obtained. Post COVID-19 condition in this study was defined as a symptom that lasted at least 2 months within 3 months since the onset of COVID-19. We investigated and compared the prevalence of post COVID-19 condition in both groups after performing propensity score matching. ResultsWe conducted interviews for 53 out of 128 patients with Omicron, and obtained 502 responses in the control group. After matching, 18 patients each in Omicron and control group had improved covariate balance of the older adult, female sex, obese patients, and vaccination status. There were no significant differences in the prevalence of each post-acute COVID-19 symptoms between the two groups. The numbers of patients with at least one post-acute COVID-19 symptom in the Omicron and the control group were 1 (5.6%) and 10 (55.6%) (p=0.003), respectively. ConclusionThe prevalence of post Omicron COVID-19 conditions was less than that of the other strains. Further research with more participants is needed to investigate the precise epidemiology of post COVID-19 condition of Omicron, and its impact on health-related quality of life and social productivity.
RESUMO
BackgroundLong COVID has been a social concern. Though patient characteristics associated with developing long COVID are partially known, those associated with persisting it have not been identified. MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire survey of patients after COVID-19 recovery who visited the National Center for Global Health and Medicine between February 2020 and March 2021. Demographic and clinical data, and the presence and duration of long COVID were obtained. We identified factors associated with development and persistence of long COVID using multivariate logistic and linear regression analysis, respectively. ResultsWe analyzed 457 of 526 responses (response rate, 86.9%). The median age was 47 years, and 378 patients (84.4%) had mild disease in acute phase. The number of patients with any symptoms after 6 and 12 months after onset or diagnosis were 120 (26.3%) and 40 (8.8%), respectively. Women were at risk for development of fatigue (OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.31-3.14), dysosmia (OR 1.91, 95% CI 1.24-2.93), dysgeusia (OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.02-2.39), and hair loss (OR 3.00, 95% CI 1.77-5.09), and were at risk for persistence of any symptoms (coefficient 38.0, 95% CI 13.3-62.8). Younger age and low body mass index were risk factors for developing dysosmia (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.94-0.98, and OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.89-0.99, respectively) and dysgeusia (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.96-1.00, and OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.88-0.98, respectively). ConclusionWe identified risk factors for the persistence as well as development of long COVID. Many patients suffer from long-term residual symptoms, even in mild cases. SummaryOur cross-sectional questionnaire survey of patients recovering from COVID-19 revealed that women, young age, and low body mass index were risk factors for the development of multiple symptoms, and that even mild cases of COVID-19 suffered from long-term residual symptoms.
