tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
J Epidemiol Glob Health
. 2023 Sep 4.
doi: 10.1007/s44197-023-00146-9. Online ahead of print. Post COVID-19 Symptoms Among Infected Vaccinated Individuals: A Cross-Sectional Study in Saudi Arabia
Heba M Adly[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Saleh A K Saleh[SUP] 2 3 [/SUP], Mohammed A Garout[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Altaf A Abdulkhaliq[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Abdullah A Khafagy[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Abdullah A Saati[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Imad A AlJahdali[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Maher N Alandiyjany[SUP] 4 5 [/SUP], Jaffar A Al-Tawfiq[SUP] 6 7 8 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Introduction: Multiple studies investigated the endurance and occurrence of symptoms three months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study examines the possible effects of COVID-19 vaccination on the persistence of post-recovery symptoms.
Patients and methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Saudi Arabia to evaluate 14 prevalent long COVID-19 symptoms among vaccinated individuals. Patients self-reported their acute COVID-19 experience, demographic information, chronic conditions, vaccine history, and persistent symptoms.
Results: Of the 484 patients, four respondents were excluded from the study as they had not received the vaccine, and 111 (23.1%) were vaccinated but did not get infected and were also excluded. The remaining 369 (76.9%) reported COVID-19 and a vaccination and thus they were included in the study. The occurrence of post-COVID-19 symptoms was reported in 59 (16.1%) for ≤ 3 months, 202 (54.8%) experienced persistent symptoms 3-6 months, and 108 (29.1%) reported symptoms lasting > 6 months. In relation to age group, persistent symptoms 3-6 months after recovery was more common in those > 50 years and symptoms lasting > 6 months were more common in 30-50 years of age (p < 0.001). Persistence of symptoms for 3-6 months was more common in those who were infected prior to vaccination compared to those who were infected after vaccination (P < 0.001). Of the included patients, 323 (87.5%) rated their health as good, 41 (11.1%) considered it fair, and 5 (1.4%) described their well-being as poor or terrible.
Conclusion: The study provides information of persistent symptoms in vaccinated individuals who had recovered from COVID-19 and highlights the need for targeted interventions to alleviate post-COVID-19 symptoms. The study is limited by its reliance on self-reported data and potential selection bias. Future research is needed to understand the mechanisms underlying persistent symptoms in vaccinated individuals and to identify effective interventions for long COVID.
Keywords: COVID-19; Coronavirus; Infection; Pandemic; Post recovery; SARS-CoV-2; Saudi Arabia; Symptoms.
. 2023 Sep 4.
doi: 10.1007/s44197-023-00146-9. Online ahead of print. Post COVID-19 Symptoms Among Infected Vaccinated Individuals: A Cross-Sectional Study in Saudi Arabia
Heba M Adly[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Saleh A K Saleh[SUP] 2 3 [/SUP], Mohammed A Garout[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Altaf A Abdulkhaliq[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Abdullah A Khafagy[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Abdullah A Saati[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Imad A AlJahdali[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Maher N Alandiyjany[SUP] 4 5 [/SUP], Jaffar A Al-Tawfiq[SUP] 6 7 8 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 37665505
- DOI: 10.1007/s44197-023-00146-9
Introduction: Multiple studies investigated the endurance and occurrence of symptoms three months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study examines the possible effects of COVID-19 vaccination on the persistence of post-recovery symptoms.
Patients and methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Saudi Arabia to evaluate 14 prevalent long COVID-19 symptoms among vaccinated individuals. Patients self-reported their acute COVID-19 experience, demographic information, chronic conditions, vaccine history, and persistent symptoms.
Results: Of the 484 patients, four respondents were excluded from the study as they had not received the vaccine, and 111 (23.1%) were vaccinated but did not get infected and were also excluded. The remaining 369 (76.9%) reported COVID-19 and a vaccination and thus they were included in the study. The occurrence of post-COVID-19 symptoms was reported in 59 (16.1%) for ≤ 3 months, 202 (54.8%) experienced persistent symptoms 3-6 months, and 108 (29.1%) reported symptoms lasting > 6 months. In relation to age group, persistent symptoms 3-6 months after recovery was more common in those > 50 years and symptoms lasting > 6 months were more common in 30-50 years of age (p < 0.001). Persistence of symptoms for 3-6 months was more common in those who were infected prior to vaccination compared to those who were infected after vaccination (P < 0.001). Of the included patients, 323 (87.5%) rated their health as good, 41 (11.1%) considered it fair, and 5 (1.4%) described their well-being as poor or terrible.
Conclusion: The study provides information of persistent symptoms in vaccinated individuals who had recovered from COVID-19 and highlights the need for targeted interventions to alleviate post-COVID-19 symptoms. The study is limited by its reliance on self-reported data and potential selection bias. Future research is needed to understand the mechanisms underlying persistent symptoms in vaccinated individuals and to identify effective interventions for long COVID.
Keywords: COVID-19; Coronavirus; Infection; Pandemic; Post recovery; SARS-CoV-2; Saudi Arabia; Symptoms.