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

• Published in: Journal of clinical medicine Vol. 12; no. 18; p. 5939
• Main Authors: Benoit-Piau, Justine, Tremblay, Karine, Piché, Alain, Dallaire, Frédéric, Bélanger, Mathieu, d’Entremont, Marc-André, Pasquier, Jean-Charles, Fortin, Martin, Bourque, Catherine, Lapointe, Fanny, Betala-Belinga, Jean-François, Petit, Geneviève, Jourdan, Guillaume, Bahous, Renata, Maya, Camilo, Benzina, Amira, Faiyaz Hossain, Muhammad, Peel, Marie-Audrey, Houle, Olivier, Auger, Marie-Sandrine, Rioux, Antoine, Farand, Paul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.09.2023; MDPI
• Subjects: Age groups; Asymptomatic; Care and treatment; Causes of; Clinical medicine; COVID-19; Data collection; Diagnosis; Disease; Fatigue; Infections; Medical personnel; Mental disorders; Mental health; Population-based studies; Public health; Questionnaires; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Stress (Psychology); Canada; United States > US
• ISSN: 2077-0383; 2077-0383
• DOI: 10.3390/jcm12185939

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.