Department of Family Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Department of Clinical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
J Korean Med Sci. 2022 Nov 28;37(46):e326. doi: 10.3346/jkms.2022.37.e326.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19]) survivors mount as the pandemic continues. To date, studies on persistent symptoms and their effects on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in mild COVID-19 cases have been limited.
A prospective online survey was conducted in COVID-19 patients who were admitted to Seongnam Community Treatment Center, an isolation center in South Korea, from November 23rd 2021 to January 2nd 2022. Patients above the age of 19 with no or mild symptoms were included in the study. Total of 147 patients returned to the follow-up survey 3 months after discharge. Baseline demographics, clinical characteristics, symptoms, and EuroQol-5 dimensions-5 levels (EQ-5D-5L) measures were investigated.
The median (interquartile range [IQR]) interval period between the initial and follow-up survey was 96.0 (93.0-98.0) days. The median (IQR) age of participants was 51.0 (43.0-61.0). During isolation, 131 (89.1%) patients manifested symptoms. On follow-up, 82 (55.8%) participants remained symptomatic. Common symptoms were constitutional (fatigue, myalgia), neurological (memory impairment, hyposmia, hypogeusia, dizziness), and neuropsychiatric (anxiety) symptoms. Participants with remaining neuropsychiatric symptoms reported the lowest EQ-5D-5L index values. Factors associated with persistent symptoms and diminished HRQoL were identified as female sex, metabolic disease, and anxiety during acute COVID-19 phase.
Cardiopulmonary symptoms improved over time but constitutional, neurological, neuropsychiatric symptoms remained. Patients with neuropsychiatric symptoms (anxiety and insomnia) reported the worst HRQoL. Female sex, metabolic disease, and anxiety during the acute COVID-19 phase were associated with long COVID. Observations of long-term symptoms of COVID-19 with decline in HRQoL and integrated research in COVID-19 survivors are warranted.
随着大流行的继续，严重急性呼吸系统综合症冠状病毒 2（冠状病毒病 2019 [COVID-19]）的幸存者不断增加。迄今为止，关于轻度 COVID-19 病例中持续存在的症状及其对健康相关生活质量（HRQoL）的影响的研究有限。
2021 年 11 月 23 日至 2022 年 1 月 2 日，在韩国仙南社区治疗中心（隔离中心）对 COVID-19 患者进行了前瞻性在线调查。纳入研究的患者年龄大于 19 岁，症状无或轻微。共有 147 名患者在出院后 3 个月返回随访调查。调查了基线人口统计学、临床特征、症状和 EuroQol-5 维度-5 级（EQ-5D-5L）测量结果。
首次和随访调查之间的中位数（四分位距 [IQR]）间隔时间为 96.0（93.0-98.0）天。参与者的中位数（IQR）年龄为 51.0（43.0-61.0）。在隔离期间，有 131 名（89.1%）患者出现症状。随访时，82 名（55.8%）参与者仍有症状。常见症状为全身（疲劳、肌痛）、神经（记忆力减退、嗅觉减退、味觉减退、头晕）和神经精神（焦虑）症状。有持续神经精神症状的参与者报告 EQ-5D-5L 指数值最低。确定与持续症状和 HRQoL 下降相关的因素为女性、代谢疾病和急性 COVID-19 期间的焦虑。
心肺症状随时间改善，但全身、神经、神经精神症状持续存在。有神经精神症状（焦虑和失眠）的患者报告 HRQoL 最差。女性、代谢疾病和急性 COVID-19 期间的焦虑与长 COVID 有关。有必要观察 COVID-19 的长期症状并进行 COVID-19 幸存者的综合研究。
