Determinants of Persistent Post COVID-19 symptoms: Value of a Novel COVID-19 symptoms score
Abstract
Background
Being a newly emerging disease little is known about its long-lasting post COVID-19 consequences. Aim of this work is to assess the frequency, patterns and determinants of persistent post COVID-19 symptoms and to evaluate the value of a proposed Novel COVID-19 symptoms score. Patients with confirmed COVID-19 in the registry were included in a cross sectional study. The patient demographics, comorbid disorders, the mean duration since the onset of the symptoms, history of hospital or ICU admittance, and treatment taken during acute state, as well as symptoms score before and after convalescence were recorded.
Results
The most frequent constitutional and neurological symptoms were myalgia (60.0%), arthralgia (57.2%), restriction of daily activities (57.0%), sleeping troubles (50.9%), followed by anorexia (42.6%), chest pain (32.6%), gastritis (32.3%), cough (29.3%) and dyspnea (29.1%). The mean total score of acute stage symptoms was 31.0 ± 16.3 while post COVID 19 symptoms score was 13.1±12.6 (P<0.001). The main determinants of the persistent post COVID-19 symptoms were the need for oxygen therapy (P<0.001), pre-existing hypertension (P=0.039), chronic pulmonary disorders (P=0.012), and any chronic comorbidity (P=0.004). There was a correlation between the symptom score during the acute attack and post COVID-19 stage (P<0.001, r=0.67). The acute phase score had 83.5% sensitivity and 73.3% specificity for the cutoff point > 18 to predict occurrence of Post-COVID-19 symptoms.
Conclusions
COVID-19 can present with a diverse spectrum of long-term post COVID-19 symptoms. Increased acute phase symptom severity and COVID-19 symptom score > 18 together with the presence of any comorbid diseases increase the risk for persistent post COVID-19 manifestations and severity.
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