A Case Report on Care-Seeking Type Illness Anxiety Disorder after COVID-19 Infection

Abstract

This case report highlights the diagnostic challenges presented by the overlapping symptoms of illness anxiety disorder (IAD) and long COVID-19 (LC-19). This case report focuses on a 58-year-old woman with care-seeking type IAD in the context of LC-19-associated symptoms. The patient experienced mild COVID-19 in August 2021. Since then, she has reported an increase in LC-19-associated symptoms, including cognitive deficits, breathlessness, fatigue, and anosmia. Despite largely normal laboratory results, imaging, and physical examinations, the patient’s distress and care-seeking behaviors persisted, resulting in the diagnosis of IAD. Accurately differentiating between LC-19 and IAD is crucial for appropriate patient care. We discuss the importance of recognizing and treating IAD in patients with LC-19-associated symptoms and the need for further research on the correlation between IAD and both COVID-19 and LC-19.

Recovery from Severe COVID-19 Is an Independent Predictor of Electrocardiographic Abnormal P-Wave Axis

“…The P-wave axis deviation, which can easily be detected on the ECG by physicians in all specialties, can provide an important guiding marker for further examination to detect the presence of supraventricular arrhythmia. In recently published articles on the term "post-COVID-19", we observed that palpitation complaints have been attributed to panic disorder, anxiety, or depression, and a parallel treatment algorithm has been added to the daily routine [40][41][42][43][44]. The results in this study suggest that severe COVID-19 may lead to permanent aPwa and therefore a permanent predisposition to increased risk of supraventricular arrhythmias in patients who have recovered from severe COVID-19.…”