A A R Mohamed-Hussein1, M T Amin2, H A Makhlouf1, N A Makhlouf3, I Galal4, H K Abd-Elaal5, D Abdeltawab3, K M S Kholief2, M K Hashem1. 1. Chest Department, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt. 2. Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt. 3. Department of Tropical Medicine and Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt. 4. Chest Department, Aswan Faculty of Medicine, Aswan, Egypt. 5. Faculty of Nursing, Assiut University, Egypt.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Long COVID-19 syndrome refers to the persistence of symptoms for more than 12 weeks after the start of acute symptoms. The pathophysiology of this syndrome is not yet clear. OBJECTIVE: To assess long COVID-19 symptoms in hospitalised and non-hospitalised patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was used. The study included 262 patients who were divided into two groups based on their hospital admission history: 167 (63.7%) were not hospitalised, while 95 (36.3%) were hospitalised. RESULTS: Long-COVID was reported in 157 out of 262 patients (59.9%), and was significantly more frequent in non-hospitalised patients (68.3% vs. 45.3%; P < 0.001). During the acute phase, hospitalised patients had more respiratory symptoms (95.9% vs. 85.6%), while non-hospitalised patients had more neuropsychiatric symptoms (84.4% vs. 69.5%; P < 0.05). Constitutional and neuropsychiatric symptoms were the most frequently reported persistent symptoms in both groups, but all persistent symptoms were more frequent in the non-hospitalised group (P < 0.005). CONCLUSION: Long COVID-19 symptoms affect both hospitalised and non-hospitalised patients. Neuropsychiatric manifestations were the most common persistent COVID-19 symptoms. Rehabilitation and psychotherapy could be advised for all recovered COVID-19 patients. Non-hospitalised COVID-19 patients should be counselled to contact healthcare providers whenever needed.
BACKGROUND: Long COVID-19 syndrome refers to the persistence of symptoms for more than 12 weeks after the start of acute symptoms. The pathophysiology of this syndrome is not yet clear. OBJECTIVE: To assess long COVID-19 symptoms in hospitalised and non-hospitalised patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was used. The study included 262 patients who were divided into two groups based on their hospital admission history: 167 (63.7%) were not hospitalised, while 95 (36.3%) were hospitalised. RESULTS: Long-COVID was reported in 157 out of 262 patients (59.9%), and was significantly more frequent in non-hospitalised patients (68.3% vs. 45.3%; P < 0.001). During the acute phase, hospitalised patients had more respiratory symptoms (95.9% vs. 85.6%), while non-hospitalised patients had more neuropsychiatric symptoms (84.4% vs. 69.5%; P < 0.05). Constitutional and neuropsychiatric symptoms were the most frequently reported persistent symptoms in both groups, but all persistent symptoms were more frequent in the non-hospitalised group (P < 0.005). CONCLUSION: Long COVID-19 symptoms affect both hospitalised and non-hospitalised patients. Neuropsychiatric manifestations were the most common persistent COVID-19 symptoms. Rehabilitation and psychotherapy could be advised for all recovered COVID-19 patients. Non-hospitalised COVID-19 patients should be counselled to contact healthcare providers whenever needed.