Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome. Incidence and risk factors: A Mediterranean cohort study

This study aims to analyze the incidence of Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PCS) and its components, and to evaluate the acute infection phase associated risk factors.

A prospective cohort study of adult patients who had recovered from COVID-19 (27th February to 29th April 2020) confirmed by PCR or subsequent seroconversion, with a systematic assessment 10-14 weeks after disease onset. PCS was defined as the persistence of at least one clinically relevant symptom, or abnormalities in spirometry or chest radiology. Outcome predictors were analyzed by multiple logistic regression (OR; 95%CI).

Two hundred seventy seven patients recovered from mild (34.3%) or severe (65.7%) forms of SARS-CoV-2 infection were evaluated 77 days (IQR 72-85) after disease onset. PCS was detected in 141 patients (50.9%; 95%CI 45.0-56.7%). Symptoms were mostly mild. Alterations in spirometry were noted in 25/269 (9.3%), while in radiographs in 51/277 (18.9%). No baseline clinical features behaved as independent predictors of PCS development.

A Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome was detected in a half of COVID19 survivors. Radiological and spirometric changes were mild and observed in less than 25% of patients. No baseline clinical features behaved as independent predictors of Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome development.