Insights into Long COVID: Unraveling Risk Factors, Clinical Features, Radiological Findings, Functional Sequelae and Correlations: A Retrospective Cohort Study - 18/03/25

Abstract |
Background |
The long-term symptomatology of COVID-19 has yet to be comprehensively described. The aim of the study was to describe persistent COVID-19 symptoms in a cohort of hospitalized and home-isolated patients.
Methods |
A retrospective cohort study was conducted on long COVID patients. Long COVID symptoms were identified, and patients were divided into hospitalized (in-patients) and home-isolated (out-patients), as well as according to the number of symptoms. Patients were examined by a multidisciplinary medical team. Blood tests, high resolution chest computed tomography (CT), and physical and infectious examinations were performed. Finally, in-patients were evaluated at 2 time-points: on hospital admission (T0) and 3 months after discharge (Tpost).
Results |
There were 364 COVID-19 patients enrolled; 82% of patients reported one or more symptoms. The most reported symptom was fatigue. Chest CT showed alteration in 76% of patients, and pulmonary function alterations were observed in 44.7% of patients. A higher risk of presenting at least one symptom was seen in patients treated with corticosteroid, and a higher risk of presenting chest CT residual lesion was observed in hospitalized patients and in patients that received hydroxychloroquine treatment. Moreover, a higher risk of altered pulmonary function was observed in older patients.
Conclusion |
Long-term sequelae are present in a remarkable number of long COVID patients and pose a new challenge to the health care system to identify long-lasting effects and improve patients’ well-being. Multidisciplinary teams are crucial to develop preventive measures, and clinical management strategies.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.Keywords : Long COVID, PASC, Radiological long-term sequelae, Retrospective cohort study, SARS-CoV-2 infection
Plan
Funding: This study was not supported by funds. |
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Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. |
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Authorship: All authors had access to the data and played a role in writing the manuscript. PP: Writing – original draft, review, and editing, Investigation, Data curation, Conceptualization; MAZ: Writing – original draft, review, and editing, Methodology, Investigation, Conceptualization; FD: Writing – original draft, Investigation; AGS: Writing – original draft, Investigation, Formal analysis, Data curation; GMM: Methodology, Investigation, Data curation; LIB: Methodology, Investigation, Data curation; LP: Methodology, Investigation, Data curation; FP: Methodology, Investigation, Data curation; FI: Methodology, Investigation, Data curation; VP: Methodology, Investigation, Data curation; GG: Validation, Methodology, Investigation, Data curation; MM: Supervision, Investigation; CC: Supervision, Resources; FP: Validation, Resources; PP: Supervision, Resources, Methodology; CMM: Visualization, Validation, Supervision, Resources; MRC: Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Validation, Supervision, Project administration. |
Vol 138 - N° 4
P. 721-731 - avril 2025 Retour au numéroBienvenue sur EM-consulte, la référence des professionnels de santé.