Potential factors related to post-COVID-19 persistent symptoms; Khorshid COVID cohort study

Abstract

Introduction: Recently, a high percentage of post-discharge patients have reported persistent symptoms after COVID-19 recovery. However, there is limited comprehensive information regarding nature’s symptoms and association with potential factors. Objectives: We aimed to assess the inpatients’ characteristics and the prevalence of COVID-19 symptoms at admission and four weeks after recovery to recognize the potential factors related to the persistent symptoms. Patients and Methods: We assessed the medical information of 262 severe and 546 non-severe COVID-19 inpatients at admission, and during the first and four weeks after post-discharge from the Khorshid COVID Cohort (KCC) study. Results: Cough, dyspnea, and fatigue were the most reported symptoms at admission, and continuously were declined over the time (all P<0.01). However, the complaint of weight loss was increased during follow-up (P=0.01). Older age (P<0.0001), male gender (P=0.02), administration of hydroxychloroquine (P=0.017), and the interval time from illness onset to visit hospital (P<0.0001) augmented the remaining respiratory symptoms risk. Additionally, more length of hospital stay correlated to the lower risk of persistent constitutional symptoms (P<0.05). Conclusion: This study points out the greater rehabilitation needs and management of persistent symptoms, in particular cough, dyspnea, fatigue and weight loss, and their related factors.