Journal of Clinical Medicine (Sep 2023)

Long-Term Consequences of COVID-19 in Predominantly Immunonaive Patients: A Canadian Prospective Population-Based Study

  • Justine Benoit-Piau,
  • Karine Tremblay,
  • Alain Piché,
  • Frédéric Dallaire,
  • Mathieu Bélanger,
  • Marc-André d’Entremont,
  • Jean-Charles Pasquier,
  • Martin Fortin,
  • Catherine Bourque,
  • Fanny Lapointe,
  • Jean-François Betala-Belinga,
  • Geneviève Petit,
  • Guillaume Jourdan,
  • Renata Bahous,
  • Camilo Maya,
  • Amira Benzina,
  • Muhammad Faiyaz Hossain,
  • Marie-Audrey Peel,
  • Olivier Houle,
  • Marie-Sandrine Auger,
  • Antoine Rioux,
  • Paul Farand

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12185939
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 18
p. 5939

Abstract

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Background: Lingering symptoms are frequently reported after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, a condition known as post-COVID-19 condition (PCC). The duration and severity of PCC in immunologically naïve persons remain unclear. Furthermore, the long-term consequences of these chronic symptoms on work and mental health are poorly documented. Objective: To determine the outcome, the risk factors, and the impact on work and mental health associated with post-COVID-19 symptoms. Methods: This prospective population-based study assessed acute COVID-19 symptoms and their evolution for up to nine months following infection. Individuals aged 18 years and older with COVID-19 in three Canadian regions between 1 November 2020 and 31 May 2021 were recruited. Participants completed a questionnaire that was either administered by trained student investigators over the phone or self-administered online. Results: A total of 1349 participants with a mean age of 46.6 ± 16.0 years completed the questionnaire. Participants were mostly unvaccinated at the time of their COVID-19 episode (86.9%). Six hundred and twenty-two participants (48.0%) exhibited one symptom or more, at least three months post-COVID-19. Among participants with PCC, 23.0% to 37.8% experienced fatigue at the time of survey. Moreover, 6.1% expressed psychological distress. Risk factors for PCC and fatigue included female sex (OR = 1.996), higher number of symptoms (OR = 1.292), higher severity of episode (OR = 3.831), and having a mental health condition prior to the COVID-19 episode (OR = 5.155). Conclusions: In this multicenter cohort study, almost half (47%) of the participants reported persistent symptoms >3 months after acute infection. Baseline risk factors for PCC include female sex, number and severity of symptoms during acute infection, and a previous diagnosis of mental health disorder. Having PCC negatively impacted health-related quality of life and these patients were more likely to exhibit psychological distress, as well as fatigue.

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