Health

Post-COVID-19 symptoms are not worse in hospitalized compared to non-hospitalized patients

Approximately two years after a patient became infected with COVID-19, non-hospitalized patients suffered nearly 8% more post-COVID-19 symptoms than hospitalized patients.

Post-COVID-19 symptoms, also called long-term COVID-19, do not appear to correlate with COVID-19 severity, according to the authors of a recent study published in . JAMA network openAt 2 years post-infection, 59.7% of hospitalized patients still experienced one post-COVID-19 symptom, and 67.5% of non-hospitalized patients still experienced one symptom.

Among the symptoms presented in both patient groups, fatigue was the most common, affecting 44.7% of hospitalized patients and 47.7% of non-hospitalized patients. According to the study’s authors, this suggests that fatigue “represents the most common and longest-lasting symptom after COVID-19.” The data also suggest that a number of pre-existing comorbidities are associated with her post-COVID-19 fatigue.

The study authors say post-COVID-19 is defined as the persistence of symptoms after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. Experts have identified over 100 of her post-COVID-19 symptoms that can impact multiple systems and directly worsen her health-related quality of life.

The primary aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of post-COVID-19 symptoms (with a 2-year follow-up period) between hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients. the study authors explained.

A secondary endpoint of this study was to compare potential risk factors that may contribute to post-COVID-19 symptoms between both patient groups. Cross-sectional analysis identified 360 hospitalized and 308 non-hospitalized patients. The researchers then assessed these patients for symptoms of dyspnea, fatigue, anosmia, aging, hair loss, pain symptoms, diarrhea, rashes, palpitations, brain fog, visual disturbances, coughing, and difficulty concentrating. Did. Researchers also used the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to assess symptoms of anxiety or depression.

The results showed that hospitalized patients experienced fewer post-COVID-19 symptoms than non-hospitalized patients, although almost 20% of hospitalized patients had I experienced more “troublesome” dyspnea (which was the main symptom attributed to hospitalization), and it was also a common symptom after COVID-19.

The data also showed that more patients hospitalized with COVID-19 had pre-existing diabetes, and pre-existing comorbidities may precede post-COVID-19 fatigue. In addition, the number of acute phase symptoms of infection may also increase the risk of post-COVID-19 symptoms, especially among non-hospitalized patients.

Additionally, the study authors observed that data on emotional well-being indicate that individuals with post-COVID-19 symptoms exhibit anxiety and depression. However, HADS scores were not significantly different between hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients.

A previous review and meta-analysis pooled data from hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients within 6 months of initial infection. One such meta-analysis showed that more hospitalized patients were suffering from her post-COVID-19 symptoms, but current data show the opposite of previous data. increase. analysis.

“Identifying risk factors to identify who is likely to develop COVID, how long symptoms last, and whether COVID-19 prompts the development of other chronic diseases will help develop treatment strategies. important,” the study authors wrote in the report.

reference

Fernández-de-las-Peñas C, Rodríguez-Jiménez J, Cancella-Cilleruelo I, et al. Her post-COVID-19 symptoms two years after his SARS-CoV-2 infection in hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients. JAMA net open2022;5(11):e2242106.doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.42106

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Post-COVID-19 symptoms are not worse in hospitalized compared to non-hospitalized patients