Prevalence and characteristics of persistent symptoms following hospitalization for COVID-19: a cross-sectional follow-up study.

BACKGROUND

Although coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) primarily presents as an acute respiratory infection, many patients continue to experience symptoms after the acute phase of the disease. Early persistent symptoms during the post-acute recovery period may adversely affect functional recovery and quality of life. This study aimed to evaluate persistent symptoms in hospitalized COVID-19 patients following completion of the quarantine period.

METHODS

This retrospective longitudinal follow-up study evaluated hospitalized COVID-19 patients after completion of quarantine/isolation to determine the prevalence and characteristics of persistent symptoms. Descriptive statistics and chi-square or Fisher's exact tests were used, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

A total of 180 patients were included, with a mean age of 50.63 ± 16.90 years, and 52.8% were female. At initial presentation, the most common symptoms were weakness (53.9%), diffuse body/muscle/joint pain (48.9%), cough (48.3%), fever (41.1%), loss of taste and smell (30.0%), headache (28.3%), and dyspnea (24.4%). Persistent symptoms after the quarantine period were observed in 64.9% of patients. The most common persistent symptoms were cough (28.9%), weakness (28.9%), diffuse body/muscle/joint pain (20.0%), loss of taste and smell (13.3%), dyspnea (12.8%), fatigue/exhaustion (12.8%), and headache (11.1%). Significant reductions were observed in several symptoms after the acute phase, including fever, sore throat, headache, diarrhea, and abdominal pain (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Persistent symptoms were frequently observed during the early post-acute recovery period in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Respiratory complaints, fatigue, weakness, and musculoskeletal symptoms remained common after the acute infectious period. These findings emphasize the importance of post-discharge follow-up and supportive care strategies in patients recovering from COVID-19.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.