Long COVID‐19: Objectifying most self‐reported neurological symptoms
Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, vol. 9, pp. 141–154
Abstract
Abstract Objectives We aimed to objectify and compare persisting self‐reported symptoms in initially hospitalized and non‐hospitalized patients after infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) by applying clinical standardized measures. Methods We conducted a cross‐sectional study of adult patients with confirmed SARS‐CoV‐2 infection including medical history, neurological examination, blood markers, neuropsychological testing, patient‐reported outcome measures (PROMs), and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Results Fifty patients with persisting symptoms for at least 4 weeks were included and classified by initial hospitalization status. Median time from SARS‐CoV‐2 detection to investigation was 29.3 weeks (range 3.3–57.9). Although individual cognitive performance was generally within the normative range in both groups, mostly mild deficits were found in attention, executive functions, and memory. Hospitalized patients performed worse in global cognition, logical reasoning, and processes of verbal memory. In both groups, fatigue severity was associated with reduced performance in attention and psychomotor speed tasks ( r s = −0.40, p < 0.05) and reduced quality of life (EQ5D, r s = 0.57, p < 0.001) and with more persisting symptoms (median 3 vs. 6, p < 0.01). PROMs identified fatigue, reduced sleep quality, and increased anxiety and depression in both groups but more pronounced in non‐hospitalized patients. Brain MRI revealed microbleeds exclusively in hospitalized patients ( n = 5). Interpretation Regardless of initial COVID‐19 severity, an individuals' mental and physical health can be severely impaired in the long‐term limitedly objectified by clinical standard diagnostic with abnormalities primarily found in hospitalized patients. This needs to be considered when planning rehabilitation therapies and should give rise to new biomarker research.
Authors 13
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Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance · RWTH Aachen University
Affiliation as printed
Department of Neurology RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany
JARA Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany
Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Neurology RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany
Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance · RWTH Aachen University
Affiliation as printed
Department of Neurology RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany
JARA Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany
Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Neurology RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany
Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Neurology RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany
Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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Universitätsklinikum Aachen · RWTH Aachen University
Affiliation as printed
Department of Pneumonology and Internal Intensive Care Medicine RWTH University Hospital Aachen Germany
Department of Pneumonology and Internal Intensive Care Medicine, RWTH University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
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Niels‐Ulrik Korbinian Hartmann Aachen Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Internal Intensive Care Medicine
Universitätsklinikum Aachen · RWTH Aachen University
Affiliation as printed
Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Internal Intensive Care Medicine RWTH University Hospital Aachen Germany
Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Internal Intensive Care Medicine, RWTH University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
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Universitätsklinikum Aachen · RWTH Aachen University
Affiliation as printed
Department of Operative Intensive und Intermediate Care Medicine RWTH University Hospital Aachen Germany
Department of Operative Intensive und Intermediate Care Medicine, RWTH University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Division of Clinical Cognitive Sciences, Department of Neurology RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany
Division of Clinical Cognitive Sciences, Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Affiliation as printed
Department of Neurology Charité ‐ Universitätsmedizin Berlin Berlin Germany
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Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance · RWTH Aachen University
Affiliation as printed
Department of Neurology RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany
JARA Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany
Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance · RWTH Aachen University
Affiliation as printed
Department of Neurology RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany
JARA Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany
Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
Shared authorship
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Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance · RWTH Aachen University
Affiliation as printed
Department of Neurology RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany
JARA Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany
Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
Shared authorship
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