Abstract Background: The aim of this study was to measure the impact of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) on quality of life, mental health, ability to work and return to baseline health in an Irish cohort. Methods: We invited individuals with symptoms of COVID-19 lasting more than 14 days to participate in an anonymous online questionnaire. Basic demographic data and self-reported symptoms were recorded. Internationally validated instruments including the patient health questionnaire somatic, anxiety and depressive symptom scales (PHQ-SADS), the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15) and Chadler fatigue scale (CFQ) were used. Results: We analysed responses from 988 participants with self-reported confirmed (diagnostic/antibody positive; 81%) or suspected (diagnostic/antibody negative or untested; 9%) COVID-19. The majority of respondents were female (88%), white (98%), with a median age of 43.0 (range 15 – 88 years old) and a median BMI of 26.0 (range 16 – 60). At the time of completing this survey, 89% of respondents reported that they have not returned to their pre-COVID-19 level of health. The median number of symptoms reported was 8 (range 0 to 33 symptoms), with a median duration of 12 months (range 1 to 20 months) since time of acute infection. A high proportion of PASC patients reported that they have a moderate or severe limitation in their ability to carry out their usual activities, 38% report their ability to work is severely limited and 33% report a moderate, or higher, level of anxiety or depression. Conclusion: The results of this survey of an Irish cohort with PASC are in line with reports from other settings, and we confirm that patients with PASC reported prolonged, multi-system symptoms which can significantly impact quality of life, affect ability to work and cause significant disability. Dedicated multidisciplinary, cross specialty supports are required to improve outcomes of this patient group. Open access, https://hrbopenresearch.org/articles/5-31/v1
Includes a mention of ME/CFS: "Large studies have consistently demonstrated that women are less likely than men to experience severe disease or death from COVID-1932, however they are at higher risk of developing PASC and they are over represented in published studies on PASC33–35. This finding is reflected in our survey where 88% of respondents were female. The reason that PASC predominantly affects women is not yet understood however it is not a new phenomenon. Women are known to be up to four times more likely to get myalgic encephalomyelitis, or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), a condition thought to have infectious origins in the majority of cases36. Additionally, women are also more likely to experience symptoms of depression37."
Since the modern working definition of depression is having symptoms, especially fatigue, this is probably redundant. There's more discussion happening over the serotonin hypothesis of depression. So far little discussion over the current hypothesis, the mythical complex interplay of factors, which are so indiscernible that the actual definition commonly used is now basically "having symptoms". That's probably not going to be an especially coherent discussion. Although psychiatry has made no effort to dispel the popular notion of the serotonin hypothesis, it's certainly true that this is not a popular one, that the modern definition is this imaginary complex involvement of... things. Which is not useful, so in most cases it amounts to having symptoms. Same with anxiety. And stress. And trauma. Basically now all defined as having symptoms, as fully generic as you can get. I tried to follow the citation path and the paper is behind a paywall, so I don't know what they mean by "women are also more likely to experience symptoms of depression", and if it could even be distinguished from mild chronic illness.
