tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Medwave
. 2022 Oct 25;22(9):e2581.
doi: 10.5867/medwave.2022.09.2581.
Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of survivors of SARS-COV-2 infection: A descriptive study
[Article in English, Spanish]
Pablo A Olavegogeascoechea[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Andres Gallardo Martinez[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Jose L Scapellato[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Andrea Federico[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
in English, Spanish
Introduction: In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic for coronavirus 19. Typical symptoms were fever, cough, asthenia, dyspnea, and muscle pain. Pulmonary and central nervous system compromise presented challenging characteristics for healthcare physicians. The objectives of this study were to identify epidemiological and clinical characteristics of SARS-COV-2 infection survivors in a region of Argentina and to determine differences between gender, age groups, year of infection, and evolution time since diagnosis.
Methods: A descriptive and analytical cross-sectional observational study was carried out. A self-administered questionnaire was applied, which was available between August and December 2021.
Results: Among 1868 individuals included, the mean age was 39.4 ± 13.9 years, and 72.8% were female. Arterial hypertension was the most frequent comorbidity (11.7%). The majority were outpatients (81.9%). The most frequent presentation symptoms at all ages were asthenia (83.7%), fever (54.9%), headache (60.8%), anosmia (64.8%), ageusia (53.2%), cough (54.4%) and myalgias (53.7%). For the 18 to 29 years old age group, the most prevalent presentation symptoms were: headache (69.4%), anosmia (69.1%), ageusia (60.2%), odynophagia (45%), and rhinitis/nasal congestion (46.9%). In the 30 to 64 years old age group, there was a higher prevalence of myalgias (55.8%), arthralgias (41%), and concentration/memory disorder (28.3%). Male showed higher prevalence of fever (64.9% versus 51.1%; p < 0.001) and pneumonia (23.5% versus 13.4%; p < 0.001). After 12 weeks from diagnosis, 38.1% of patients persisted with asthenia, 23.6% with anosmia/dysosmia, and 21.2% with concentration/memory disorders.
Conclusions: Systemic symptoms were common to all age groups with coronavirus 19 disease; however, younger, and intermediate age groups presented a higher prevalence of central nervous system symptoms such as anosmia and cognitive disorders, respectively. Symptoms beyond 12 weeks of diagnosis reached slightly more than 10% of the participants.
Keywords: COVID clinical characteristics; COVID epidemiology; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2 infection; pandemic.
. 2022 Oct 25;22(9):e2581.
doi: 10.5867/medwave.2022.09.2581.
Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of survivors of SARS-COV-2 infection: A descriptive study
[Article in English, Spanish]
Pablo A Olavegogeascoechea[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Andres Gallardo Martinez[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Jose L Scapellato[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Andrea Federico[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 36283026
- DOI: 10.5867/medwave.2022.09.2581
Abstract
in English, Spanish
Introduction: In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic for coronavirus 19. Typical symptoms were fever, cough, asthenia, dyspnea, and muscle pain. Pulmonary and central nervous system compromise presented challenging characteristics for healthcare physicians. The objectives of this study were to identify epidemiological and clinical characteristics of SARS-COV-2 infection survivors in a region of Argentina and to determine differences between gender, age groups, year of infection, and evolution time since diagnosis.
Methods: A descriptive and analytical cross-sectional observational study was carried out. A self-administered questionnaire was applied, which was available between August and December 2021.
Results: Among 1868 individuals included, the mean age was 39.4 ± 13.9 years, and 72.8% were female. Arterial hypertension was the most frequent comorbidity (11.7%). The majority were outpatients (81.9%). The most frequent presentation symptoms at all ages were asthenia (83.7%), fever (54.9%), headache (60.8%), anosmia (64.8%), ageusia (53.2%), cough (54.4%) and myalgias (53.7%). For the 18 to 29 years old age group, the most prevalent presentation symptoms were: headache (69.4%), anosmia (69.1%), ageusia (60.2%), odynophagia (45%), and rhinitis/nasal congestion (46.9%). In the 30 to 64 years old age group, there was a higher prevalence of myalgias (55.8%), arthralgias (41%), and concentration/memory disorder (28.3%). Male showed higher prevalence of fever (64.9% versus 51.1%; p < 0.001) and pneumonia (23.5% versus 13.4%; p < 0.001). After 12 weeks from diagnosis, 38.1% of patients persisted with asthenia, 23.6% with anosmia/dysosmia, and 21.2% with concentration/memory disorders.
Conclusions: Systemic symptoms were common to all age groups with coronavirus 19 disease; however, younger, and intermediate age groups presented a higher prevalence of central nervous system symptoms such as anosmia and cognitive disorders, respectively. Symptoms beyond 12 weeks of diagnosis reached slightly more than 10% of the participants.
Keywords: COVID clinical characteristics; COVID epidemiology; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2 infection; pandemic.