Strahm, Carol; Seneghini, Marco; Güsewell, Sabine; Egger, Thomas; Leal-Neto, Onicio; Brucher, Angela; Lemmenmeier, Eva; Meier Kleeb, Dorette; Möller, J Carsten; Rieder, Philip; Ruetti, Markus; Rutz, Remus; Schmid, Hans Ruedi; Stocker, Reto; Vuichard-Gysin, Danielle; Wiggli, Benedikt; Besold, Ulrike; Kuster, Stefan P; McGeer, Allison; Risch, Lorenz; ... (2022). Symptoms Compatible With Long Coronavirus Disease (COVID) in Healthcare Workers With and Without Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Infection-Results of a Prospective Multicenter Cohort. Clinical infectious diseases, 75(1), e1011-e1019. Oxford University Press 10.1093/cid/ciac054
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BACKGROUND
The burden of long-term symptoms (ie, long COVID) in patients after mild COVID-19 is debated. Within a cohort of healthcare workers (HCWs), frequency and risk factors for symptoms compatible with long COVID are assessed.
METHODS
Participants answered baseline (August/September 2020) and weekly questionnaires on SARS-CoV-2 nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) results and acute disease symptoms. In January 2021, SARS-CoV-2 serology was performed; in March, symptoms compatible with long COVID (including psychometric scores) were asked and compared between HCWs with positive NPS, seropositive HCWs without positive NPS (presumable asymptomatic/pauci-symptomatic infections), and negative controls. The effect of time since diagnosis and quantitative anti-spike protein antibodies (anti-S) was evaluated. Poisson regression was used to identify risk factors for symptom occurrence.
RESULTS
Of 3334 HCWs (median, 41 years; 80% female), 556 (17%) had a positive NPS and 228 (7%) were only seropositive. HCWs with positive NPS more frequently reported ≥1 symptom compared with controls (73% vs 52%, P < .001); seropositive HCWs without positive NPS did not score higher than controls (58% vs 52%, P = .13), although impaired taste/olfaction (16% vs 6%, P < .001) and hair loss (17% vs 10%, P = .004) were more common. Exhaustion/burnout was reported by 24% of negative controls. Many symptoms remained elevated in those diagnosed >6 months ago; anti-S titers correlated with high symptom scores. Acute viral symptoms in weekly questionnaires best predicted long-COVID symptoms. Physical activity at baseline was negatively associated with neurocognitive impairment and fatigue scores.
CONCLUSIONS
Seropositive HCWs without positive NPS are only mildly affected by long COVID. Exhaustion/burnout is common, even in noninfected HCWs. Physical activity might be protective against neurocognitive impairment/fatigue symptoms after COVID-19.
Item Type: |
Journal Article (Original Article) |
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Division/Institute: |
04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Haematology, Oncology, Infectious Diseases, Laboratory Medicine and Hospital Pharmacy (DOLS) > Institute of Clinical Chemistry |
UniBE Contributor: |
Risch, Lorenz |
Subjects: |
600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health |
ISSN: |
1537-6591 |
Publisher: |
Oxford University Press |
Language: |
English |
Submitter: |
Karin Balmer |
Date Deposited: |
23 Nov 2022 07:20 |
Last Modified: |
05 Dec 2022 16:28 |
Publisher DOI: |
10.1093/cid/ciac054 |
PubMed ID: |
35090015 |
Uncontrolled Keywords: |
asymptomatic healthcare workers long COVID risk factors serology |
BORIS DOI: |
10.48350/175026 |
URI: |
https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/175026 |