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Prevalence and characteristics of persistent symptoms following hospitalization for COVID-19: a cross-sectional
Huseyin Dogus Okan1, Gulsum Kaya2
1Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Department of Intensive Care Medicine, University of Health Sciences Türkiye, İzmir Dr. Suat Seren Chest Diseases and Surgery Training and Research Hospital, İzmir, Turkey. okanhd@hotmail.com.
Background:
Although coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) primarily presents as an acute respiratory infection, many patients continue to experience symptoms after the acute phase of the disease. Early persistent symptoms during the post-acute recovery period may adversely affect functional recovery and quality of life. This study aimed to evaluate persistent symptoms in hospitalized COVID-19 patients following completion of the quarantine period.
Methods:
This retrospective longitudinal follow-up study evaluated hospitalized COVID-19 patients after completion of quarantine/isolation to determine the prevalence and characteristics of persistent symptoms. Descriptive statistics and chi-square or Fisher's exact tests were used, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant.
Results:
A total of 180 patients were included, with a mean age of 50.63 ± 16.90 years, and 52.8% were female. At initial presentation, the most common symptoms were weakness (53.9%), diffuse body/muscle/joint pain (48.9%), cough (48.3%), fever (41.1%), loss of taste and smell (30.0%), headache (28.3%), and dyspnea (24.4%). Persistent symptoms after the quarantine period were observed in 64.9% of patients. The most common persistent symptoms were cough (28.9%), weakness (28.9%), diffuse body/muscle/joint pain (20.0%), loss of taste and smell (13.3%), dyspnea (12.8%), fatigue/exhaustion (12.8%), and headache (11.1%). Significant reductions were observed in several symptoms after the acute phase, including fever, sore throat, headache, diarrhea, and abdominal pain (p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
Persistent symptoms were frequently observed during the early post-acute recovery period in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Respiratory complaints, fatigue, weakness, and musculoskeletal symptoms remained common after the acute infectious period. These findings emphasize the importance of post-discharge follow-up and supportive care strategies in patients recovering from COVID-19.
Clinical Trial Number:
Not applicable.
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