Persistent Symptoms After Acute COVID-19 Infection in Omicron Era

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health
• Internal Medicine

Background:

• Post-acute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) conditions present a significant clinical challenge.
• Understanding the factors influencing persistent symptoms is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare clinical characteristics and symptoms between acute and post-acute COVID-19 phases.
• To identify factors associated with the number and categories of persistent symptoms.

Main Methods:

• 1,122 patients were categorized into acute (<4 weeks) and post-acute (>4 weeks) groups.
• Statistical comparisons of clinical characteristics and symptom prevalence were performed.
• Factors associated with persistent symptoms were determined.

Main Results:

• Persistent symptoms were categorized into A (higher in acute), B (similar in both), and C (higher in post-acute).
• Category A included respiratory issues; Category B included weakness, GI issues, and sensory changes; Category C included fatigue, cognitive, and psychological symptoms.
• Anxiety, depression, fatigue, and age correlated with symptom burden, with anxiety being the strongest predictor (P < 0.001).

Conclusions:

• Post-COVID-19 conditions involve multi-organ symptoms persisting for over four weeks.
• Long-term observation and multidisciplinary interventions are necessary for managing persistent symptoms.