tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Virol J
. 2024 Jan 11;21(1):16.
doi: 10.1186/s12985-024-02284-3. The burden of persistent symptoms after COVID-19 (long COVID): a meta-analysis of controlled studies in children and adults
Ahmed Azzam[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Heba Khaled[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Neveen Refaey[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Shorouk Mohsen[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Ola Ali El-Emam[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Nada Dawood[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Hebatalla A Ahmed[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Omar A Soliman[SUP] 8 9 [/SUP], Sana Mostafa[SUP] 10 [/SUP], Heba Ramadan[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Maha Mosa[SUP] 12 [/SUP], Amora Omar Ibrahim Elmowafy[SUP] 13 [/SUP], Shimaa Mohamed Abdou Rizk[SUP] 13 [/SUP], Ahmed Zaki[SUP] 14 [/SUP], Mostafa Hussien[SUP] 15 [/SUP], Ameer Ahmed[SUP] 16 [/SUP], Ahmad Ashraf Ezzat[SUP] 17 [/SUP], Fatma E Hassan[SUP] 18 19 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Background: Previous meta-analyses estimating the prevalence of the post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) were confounded by the lack of negative control groups. This may result in an overestimation of the prevalence of those experiencing PCC, as these symptoms are non-specific and common in the general population. In this study, we aimed to compare the burden of persistent symptoms among COVID-19 survivors relative to COVID-19-negative controls.
Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted using the following databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus) until July 2023 for comparative studies that examined the prevalence of persistent symptoms in COVID-19 survivors. Given that many of the symptoms among COVID-19 survivors overlap with post-hospitalization syndrome and post-intensive care syndrome, we included studies that compare the prevalence of persistent symptoms in hospitalized COVID-19 patients relative to non-COVID-19 hospitalized patients and in non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients relative to healthy controls that reported outcomes after at least 3 months since infection. The results of the meta-analysis were reported as odds ratios with a 95% confidence interval based on the random effects model.
Results: Twenty articles were included in this study. Our analysis of symptomatology in non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients compared to negative controls revealed that the majority of symptoms examined were not related to COVID-19 infection and appeared equally prevalent in both cohorts. However, non-COVID-19 hospitalized patients had higher odds of occurrence of certain symptoms like anosmia, ageusia, fatigue, dyspnea, and brain fog (P < 0.05). Particularly, anosmia and ageusia showed substantially elevated odds relative to the negative control group at 11.27 and 9.76, respectively, P < 0.05. In contrast, analysis of hospitalized COVID-19 patients compared to those hospitalized for other indications did not demonstrate significantly higher odds for the tested symptoms.
Conclusions: The persistent symptoms in COVID-19 survivors may result from hospitalization for causes unrelated to COVID-19 and are commonly reported among the general population. Although certain symptoms exhibited higher odds in non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients relative to controls, these symptoms are common post-viral illnesses. Therefore, the persistent symptoms after COVID-19 may not be unique to SARS-CoV-2. Future studies including well-matched control groups when investigating persistent symptoms in COVID-19 survivors are warranted to draw a firm conclusion.
. 2024 Jan 11;21(1):16.
doi: 10.1186/s12985-024-02284-3. The burden of persistent symptoms after COVID-19 (long COVID): a meta-analysis of controlled studies in children and adults
Ahmed Azzam[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Heba Khaled[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Neveen Refaey[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Shorouk Mohsen[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Ola Ali El-Emam[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Nada Dawood[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Hebatalla A Ahmed[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Omar A Soliman[SUP] 8 9 [/SUP], Sana Mostafa[SUP] 10 [/SUP], Heba Ramadan[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Maha Mosa[SUP] 12 [/SUP], Amora Omar Ibrahim Elmowafy[SUP] 13 [/SUP], Shimaa Mohamed Abdou Rizk[SUP] 13 [/SUP], Ahmed Zaki[SUP] 14 [/SUP], Mostafa Hussien[SUP] 15 [/SUP], Ameer Ahmed[SUP] 16 [/SUP], Ahmad Ashraf Ezzat[SUP] 17 [/SUP], Fatma E Hassan[SUP] 18 19 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 38212781
- PMCID: PMC10785462
- DOI: 10.1186/s12985-024-02284-3
Background: Previous meta-analyses estimating the prevalence of the post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) were confounded by the lack of negative control groups. This may result in an overestimation of the prevalence of those experiencing PCC, as these symptoms are non-specific and common in the general population. In this study, we aimed to compare the burden of persistent symptoms among COVID-19 survivors relative to COVID-19-negative controls.
Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted using the following databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus) until July 2023 for comparative studies that examined the prevalence of persistent symptoms in COVID-19 survivors. Given that many of the symptoms among COVID-19 survivors overlap with post-hospitalization syndrome and post-intensive care syndrome, we included studies that compare the prevalence of persistent symptoms in hospitalized COVID-19 patients relative to non-COVID-19 hospitalized patients and in non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients relative to healthy controls that reported outcomes after at least 3 months since infection. The results of the meta-analysis were reported as odds ratios with a 95% confidence interval based on the random effects model.
Results: Twenty articles were included in this study. Our analysis of symptomatology in non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients compared to negative controls revealed that the majority of symptoms examined were not related to COVID-19 infection and appeared equally prevalent in both cohorts. However, non-COVID-19 hospitalized patients had higher odds of occurrence of certain symptoms like anosmia, ageusia, fatigue, dyspnea, and brain fog (P < 0.05). Particularly, anosmia and ageusia showed substantially elevated odds relative to the negative control group at 11.27 and 9.76, respectively, P < 0.05. In contrast, analysis of hospitalized COVID-19 patients compared to those hospitalized for other indications did not demonstrate significantly higher odds for the tested symptoms.
Conclusions: The persistent symptoms in COVID-19 survivors may result from hospitalization for causes unrelated to COVID-19 and are commonly reported among the general population. Although certain symptoms exhibited higher odds in non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients relative to controls, these symptoms are common post-viral illnesses. Therefore, the persistent symptoms after COVID-19 may not be unique to SARS-CoV-2. Future studies including well-matched control groups when investigating persistent symptoms in COVID-19 survivors are warranted to draw a firm conclusion.