Monitoring the development of post-COVID–19 syndrome

Introduction: Extended symptoms may develop after a SARS-CoV-2 infection. We refer to these as post-COVID–19 symptoms and they are grouped according to time duration. Objective: The aim of the study was to follow all COVID–19 infected patients in a family practise, to observe all post-COVID–19 symptoms, symptom development rates and to document how long they last. Method: 282 SARS-CoV-2 patients were followed mainly through telephone interviews between 01. 09. 2020 and 01. 09. 2021. Post-COVID–19 symptoms were monitored for 15–42 weeks every 4 weeks (30–50 weeks in cases of delayed hypsomia). Results: Symptoms lasting longer than a month developed in 67% of all patients (170 cases). The most frequent symptoms were fatigue (79 cases, 29%) and hyposmia (74 cases, 27%). The latter mainly developed in non-smokers, affecting 2,5% of all COVID–19 patients beyond 43 weeks. Fatigue affected 46% of all post-COVID–19 patients. Sick leave was significantly longer among these patients (19.7 vs. 12.3 days in patients with no fatigue). Severe post-COVID–19 fatigue in non-hospitalized patients presented in a sydrome-like appearance displaying palpitations, fatigue, dyspnoea, sleep disturbances, loose stools and postural complaints. These regrediated after 19 weeks. Discussion: Post-COVID–19 symptoms often develop after a mild COVID–19 infection. Severity of COVID–19 infection and severity of post-COVID–19 symptoms often do not correlate. Groups of hospitalized and non-hospitalized post-acute COVID patients with fatigue can be distinguished by many attributes. Conclusion: Mild COVID–19 infections may also be followed up by severe fatigue, but it spontenaously regrediates. Long-term effects of COVID–19 are permanent hyposmia and fatigue (the latter affect some hospitalized COVID–19 patients). Orv Hetil. 2022; 163(9): 335–342.