Ollila Henriikka, Tiainen Marjaana, Pihlaja Riikka, Koskinen Sanna, Tuulio-Henriksson Annamari, Salmela Viljami, Hokkanen Laura, Hästbacka Johanna
Perioperative and Intensive Care, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Department of Neurology, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Brain Behav Immun Health. 2025 Mar 18;45:100980. doi: 10.1016/j.bbih.2025.100980. eCollection 2025 May.
INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 survivors may present with cognitive and psychiatric symptoms long after the acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection. OBJECTIVES: To determine subjective cognitive, psychiatric, and fatigue symptoms two years after COVID-19, and their change from six months to two years. METHODS: We assessed three COVID-19 patient groups of different acute disease severity (ICU-treated, ward-treated, home-isolated) concerning subjective cognitive functioning (AB Neuropsychological Assessment Schedule), anxiety (Generalised Anxiety Disorder 7), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire 9), post-traumatic stress (Impact of Event Scale 6), and fatigue (Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory) with a mailed questionnaire approximately two years after acute COVID-19. We compared the results with those obtained six months after the acute disease. We studied whether any change emerged in the scores of symptomatic patients between six- and 24-month follow-ups. RESULTS: Two years post-COVID-19, 58 ICU-treated, 35 ward-treated, and 28 home-isolated patients responded to the questionnaire. Subjective cognitive symptoms and fatigue emerged as the most common problems occurring in 30.6 and 35.5% of patients, respectively. In patients with clinically significant symptoms at six months, symptom scores for depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress decreased at two years. CONCLUSIONS: Two years after COVID-19, particularly self-reported cognitive symptoms and fatigue remained clinically significant, but also some recovery was evident in depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress.
Brain Behav Immun Health. 2025-3-18
Clin Park Relat Disord. 2023-11-2