New symptoms and prevalence of postacute COVID-19 syndrome among nonhospitalized COVID-19 survivors

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess postacute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) syndrome (PACS) symptoms according to the onset of the infection while evaluating the effect of COVID-19 vaccination on the symptoms of PACS. We conducted a retrospective single-center cohort study in which nonhospitalized COVID-19 survivors and healthy controls were compared for the occurrence of PACS. The total number of patients in this study was 472. At 6–12 and > 12 months after the infection, COVID-19 survivors had a significantly higher incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety than the non-COVID-19 cohort. Furthermore, depression, cognitive deficit, tics, impaired quality of life and general health impairment were significantly more prevalent among COVID-19 survivors at < 6 months, 6–12 months and > 12 months than in the non-COVID-19 cohort. However, respiratory symptoms were significantly more prevalent among COVID-19 survivors only in the first 6 months after infection. In addition, cognitive deficit (OR = 0.15; 95% CI 0.03–0.87) and impaired quality of life (B = − 2.11; 95% CI − 4.21 to − 0.20) were significantly less prevalent among vaccinated COVID-19 survivors than among nonvaccinated survivors. Longitudinal studies are needed to establish the time that should elapse after COVID-19 infection for the symptoms of PACS to appear. Randomized clinical trials are needed to assess the possibility that COVID-19 vaccines might relieve PACS symptoms.