Insights into Long COVID: Unraveling Risk Factors, Clinical Features, Radiological Findings, Functional Sequelae and Correlations, 2024, Pasculli+

Insights into Long COVID: Unraveling Risk Factors, Clinical Features, Radiological Findings, Functional Sequelae and Correlations: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Patrizia Pasculli; Maria Antonella Zingaropoli; Federica Dominelli; Angelo Giuseppe Solimini; Giorgio Maria Masci; Lucia Ilaria Birtolo; Lara Pasquariello; Filippo Paribeni; Franco Iafrate; Valeria Panebianco; Gioacchino Galardo; Massimo Mancone; Carlo Catalano; Francesco Pugliese; Paolo Palange; Claudio Maria Mastroianni; Maria Rosa Ciardi

BACKGROUND
The long-term symptomatology of COVID-19 has yet to be comprehensively described. The aim of the study was to describe persistent COVID-19 symptoms in a cohort of hospitalized and home-isolated patients.

METHODS
A retrospective cohort study was conducted on long COVID patients. Long COVID symptoms were identified, and patients were divided into hospitalized (in-patients) and home-isolated (out-patients) as well as according to the number of symptoms. Patients were examined by a multydisciplinary medical team. Blood tests, high resolution chest computed tomography (CT), physical and infectious examination were performed. Finally, in-patients were evaluated at two time-points: on hospital admission (T0) and after three months from discharge (Tpost).

RESULTS
Three hundred and sixty-four COVID-19 patients were enrolled. 82% of patients reported at least one or more symptoms. The most reported symptom was fatigue. Chest CT showed alteration in 76% of patients and pulmonary function alterations were observed in 44.7% of patients.
A higher risk of presenting at least one symptom was seen in patients treated with corticosteroid and a higher risk of presenting chest CT residual lesion was observed in hospitalized patients and in patients that received hydroxychloroquine treatment. Moreover, a higher risk of altered pulmonary function was observed in older patients.

CONCLUSIONS
Long-term sequelae are present in a remarkable number of long COVID patients and pose a new challenge to the healthcare system to identify long-lasting effects and improve patients' wellbeing. Multi-disciplinary teams are crucial to develop preventive measures, and clinical management strategies.


Link | PDF (The American Journal of Medicine) [Open Access]