Post-COVID-19 syndrome characteristics in upper Egypt

Abstract

Post-COVID syndrome (PCS) involves multisystemic effects, occurring even after a relatively mild acute illness. “To determine the frequency and nature of ongoing symptoms in Upper Egypt at 3 and 6 months post-acute COVID-19, characterize patient groups at risk for PCS, and evaluate changes in clinical parameters. This prospective observational descriptive cohort study of 120 patients with COVID-19 infection. Patients were consecutively enrolled based on eligibility criteria, including positive PCR or combined clinical criteria, imaging, including CT chest and chest US, and laboratory investigation, such as CRP for confirmation of COVID-19 diagnosis. Follow-up of patients was done at 3 and 6 months. The most common symptoms at the acute stage were cough (100%), fever (99.2%), and dyspnea (98.3%). At 3 months, 95.8% reported PCS symptoms; this decreased to 72.6% at 6 months (P < 0.001). Diabetes (25%) and HTN (21.7%) were the most common comorbidities encountered in PCS. Regarding post covid manifestations, it was fatigue (94,2%), impaired Quality of life (93,3%), and dyspnea (80.8%). Non-vaccinated patients had a higher incidence of PCS at 3 (p =0.017) and 6 months (p =0.043). Increasing age, non-vaccination, greater COVID-19 severity, diabetes, and hypertension were associated with higher PCS incidence.