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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Cell. Neurosci.
Sec. Cellular Neuropathology
Volume 18 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1460119
This article is part of the Research Topic Unraveling the long-term effects of COVID-19 View all 3 articles

Self-reported health, persistent symptoms, and daily activities 2 years after hospitalization for COVID-19

Provisionally accepted
Roda Alhasan Roda Alhasan 1Lena Rafsten Lena Rafsten 1,2Alexandra C Larsson Alexandra C Larsson 1,2Katharina Stibrant Sunnerhagen Katharina Stibrant Sunnerhagen 1,2,3Hanna C Persson Hanna C Persson 1*
  • 1 Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Västergötland, Sweden
  • 2 Department of Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
  • 3 Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, 775 million cases have been reported globally. While many individuals recover fully, a significant proportion develop persistent symptoms. Numerous studies have investigated the long-term symptoms of COVID-19; however, the full extent and impact of these symptoms remain inadequately understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of self-reported persistent symptoms, focusing on respiratory symptoms and fatigue and the impact on functional status 2 years after hospitalization for COVID-19.Methods: This study is prospective and includes participants from a longitudinal multi-center cohort that follows patients previously hospitalized due to . The current study encompasses the 2-year follow-up, using post-hospitalization questionnaire surveys.Analyzed data were collected before discharge and at the 2-year follow-up. Participants were grouped by age, sex and COVID-19 severity and group comparisons where conducted.Logistic regression analysis was used to study functional impairment.Results: Two years after hospital discharge due to COVID-19, 125 participants completed the 2-year follow-up. The mean age of participants was 66 years (SD 12.2), and 68% were male.The majority of participants reported present respiratory symptoms (n = 83, 69%) and fatigue (n = 98, 78%) at the 2-year follow-up. Persistent respiratory symptoms and fatigue impacted functional status substantially (p = <0.001, p = 0.028, respectively). No significant differences were observed among groups depending on age, sex, or severity of COVID-19.: For some individuals regardless of age, sex or COVID-19 severity, respiratory symptoms and fatigue may persist for up to 2 years following COVID-19. Hence, having available support from professionals knowledgeable about COVID-19 is imperative. Further research is important to unravel the mechanisms of long-term symptoms following COVID-19 and to develop effective therapeutic and rehabilitative interventions.

    Keywords: COVID-19, Post Covid, Persistent symptoms, respiratory symptoms, Fatigue, Shortness of breath, functional status, daily activities

    Received: 20 Sep 2024; Accepted: 27 Nov 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Alhasan, Rafsten, Larsson, Sunnerhagen and Persson. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Hanna C Persson, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, SE-413 45, Västergötland, Sweden

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.