This multicenter study presents prevalence data and associated risk factors of post-COVID-19 cough one year after hospital discharge in COVID-19 survivors. Individuals recovered from COVID-19 at three public hospitals in Madrid (Spain) were scheduled for a telephonic interview. They were systematically asked about the presence of respiratory symptoms, e.g., fatigue, dyspnea, chest pain, and cough after hospital discharge. Clinical and hospitalization data were collected from hospital records. Overall, 1,950 patients (47% women, mean age:61, SD:16 years) were assessed at 11.2 months (SD 0.5) after hospital discharge. Just 367 (18.8%) were completely free of any respiratory post-COVID -19 symptom. The prevalence of long-term cough, chest pain, dyspnea, and fatigue was 2.5%, 6.5%, 23.3%, and 61.2%, respectively. Clinical and hospitalization factors were not associated with long-term post-COVID-19 cough. In conclusion, the prevalence of post-COVID-19 cough one year after SARS-CoV-2 infection was 2.5% in subjects who had survived hospitalization for COVID-19. No clear risk factor associated to long-term post-COVID-19 cough was identified.

No abstract

This study investigated the association of diabetes in patients who recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection with the presence of long-term post-COVID symptoms. A casecontrol study including individuals hospitalised during the first wave of the pandemic was conducted. Patients with a previous diagnosis of diabetes and under medical control were considered cases. Two age-and sex-matched patients without presenting diabetes per case were recruited as controls. Hospitalisation and clinical data were collected from hospital medical records. Patients were scheduled for a telephone interview. A list of post-COVID symptoms was systematically evaluated, but participants were invited to freely report any symptom. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were used to assess anxiety and depressive symptoms, and sleep quality, respectively. Multivariable conditional logistic regression models were constructed.Overall, 145 patients with diabetes and 144 non-diabetic controls who had recovered from COVID-19 were assessed at 7.2 months (SD 0.6) after hospital discharge. The number of post-COVID symptoms was similar between groups (IRR1.06, 95%CI 0.92-1.24, P=0.372). The most prevalent post-COVID symptoms were fatigue, dyspnea on exertion, and pain. No between-groups differences in any post-COVID symptom were observed.Similarly, no differences in limitations with daily living activities were either found between patients with/without diabetes. Diabetes was not a risk factor for suffering longterm post-COVID symptoms.