Tag: long covid prevalence

“Living like an empty gas tank with a leak”: Mixed methods study on post-acute sequelae of COVID-19

Abstract:

Background: The burden and presentation of post-acute sequela of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) are a developing major public health concern.

Objectives: To characterize the burden of PASC in community-dwelling individuals and understand the experiences of people living with PASC.

Methods: This mixed-methods study of COVID-19 positive community-dwelling persons involved surveys and in-depth interviews. Main outcome was self-report of possible PASC symptoms 3 weeks or longer after positive COVID-19 test. In-depth interviews were guided by a semi-structured interview guide with open-ended questions and probes based on emerging literature on PASC and the impact of COVID-19.

Results: With a survey response rate of 70%, 442 participants were included in this analysis, mean (SD) age 45.4 (16.2) years, 71% female, 12% Black/African American. Compared to those with no PASC symptoms, persons who reported PASC symptoms were more likely to be older (mean age: 46.5 vs. 42; p = 0.013), female (74.3% vs. 61.2%; p = 0.010), to have pre-existing conditions (49.6% vs. 34%; p = 0.005), and to have been hospitalized for COVID-19 (14.2% vs. 2.9%; p = 0.002). About 30% of the participants experienced severe fatigue; the proportion of persons reporting severe fatigue was 7-fold greater in those with PASC symptoms (Adjusted Prevalence Ratio [aPR] 6.73, 95%CI: 2.80-16.18). Persons with PASC symptoms were more likely to report poor quality of life (16% vs. 5%, p<0.001) and worse mental health functioning (Mean difference: -1.87 95%CI: -2.38, -1.37, p<0.001). Themes from in-depth interviews revealed PASC was experienced as debilitating.

Conclusions: In this study, the prevalence of PASC among community-dwelling adults was substantial. Participants reported considerable coping difficulties, restrictions in everyday activities, invisibility of symptoms and experiences, and impediments to getting and receiving PASC care.

Source: Ogungbe O, Slone S, Alharthi A, Tomiwa T, Kumbe B, Bergman A, McNabb K, Smith Wright R, Farley JE, Dennison Himmelfarb CR, Cooper LA, Post WS, Davidson PM, Commodore-Mensah Y. “Living like an empty gas tank with a leak”: Mixed methods study on post-acute sequelae of COVID-19. PLoS One. 2022 Dec 30;17(12):e0279684. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279684. PMID: 36584125; PMCID: PMC9803174. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9803174/ (Full text)

Prevalence of Post–COVID-19 Conditions Depends on the Method of Assessment

To the Editor—In their systematic review and meta-analysis on the global prevalence of long coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Chen et al report that a significant share of patients with COVID-19 suffer from sequelae of acute severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection [1]. The authors performed a database search in PubMed, Embase, and iSearch and included 50 studies comprising hospitalized and nonhospitalized patients from the Americas, Europe, and Asia, of which 41 studies were meta-analyzed. The estimated pooled prevalence of a post–COVID-19 condition was 0.43 (95% confidence interval, .39–.46) [1].

Concerning a post–COVID-19 condition, or long COVID, and their global burden of disease, we think it is important to bear in mind that many studies (including our own [2], which was in the meta-analysis) assess long COVID symptoms via self-report/questionnaires. Self-reported outcomes do not necessarily match clinical reports that are based on physical and/or technical examinations. Thus, there is a difference between functional impairment based on objective medical findings and self-estimation, giving rise to potential detection bias, as the authors briefly mention in the supplement. Moreover, possible bias through elevated media attention, resulting in potentially altered response behavior, must be considered.

Making causal links between nonspecific symptoms, such as dizziness, headache, or fatigue, to SARS-CoV-2 or acute COVID-19 remains challenging [3]. Furthermore, precise pathophysiological mechanisms underlying specific long COVID symptoms have not been fully elucidated [4, 5]. Fatigue, for example, is associated with several chronic conditions and its prevalence in the population is estimated to be in the same range as found in SARS-CoV-2 cases in the present meta-analysis [6]. With regard to the World Health Organization definition, a post–COVID-19 condition may represent a diagnosis per exclusion in many cases [7]. Nonetheless, even if the prevalence of long COVID was overestimated in the underlying studies, COVID-19 sequelae pose a considerable burden on health, social insurance systems, and economies worldwide given the high attack rate of SARS-CoV-2 [8].

Source: Lampl BMJ, Leitzmann MF, Salzberger B. Prevalence of Post-COVID-19 Conditions Depends on the Method of Assessment. J Infect Dis. 2023 Jan 11;227(2):306. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiac467. PMID: 36546758. https://academic.oup.com/jid/article/227/2/306/6853665 (Full text)

The prevalence and long-term health effects of Long Covid among hospitalised and non-hospitalised populations: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract:

Background: The aim of this study was to systematically synthesise the global evidence on the prevalence of persistent symptoms in a general post COVID-19 population.

Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted using multiple electronic databases (MEDLINE and The Cochrane Library, Scopus, CINAHL, and medRxiv) until January 2022. Studies with at least 100 people with confirmed or self-reported COVID-19 symptoms at ≥28 days following infection onset were included. Patient-reported outcome measures and clinical investigations were both assessed. Results were analysed descriptively, and meta-analyses were conducted to derive prevalence estimates. This study was pre-registered (PROSPERO-ID: CRD42021238247).

Findings: 194 studies totalling 735,006 participants were included, with five studies conducted in those <18 years of age. Most studies were conducted in Europe (n = 106) or Asia (n = 49), and the time to follow-up ranged from ≥28 days to 387 days. 122 studies reported data on hospitalised patients, 18 on non-hospitalised, and 54 on hospitalised and non-hospitalised combined (mixed). On average, at least 45% of COVID-19 survivors, regardless of hospitalisation status, went on to experience at least one unresolved symptom (mean follow-up 126 days). Fatigue was frequently reported across hospitalised (28.4%; 95% CI 24.7%-32.5%), non-hospitalised (34.8%; 95% CI 17.6%-57.2%), and mixed (25.2%; 95% CI 17.7%-34.6%) cohorts. Amongst the hospitalised cohort, abnormal CT patterns/x-rays were frequently reported (45.3%; 95% CI 35.3%-55.7%), alongside ground glass opacification (41.1%; 95% CI 25.7%-58.5%), and impaired diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (31.7%; 95% CI 25.8%-3.2%).

Interpretation: Our work shows that 45% of COVID-19 survivors, regardless of hospitalisation status, were experiencing a range of unresolved symptoms at ∼ 4 months. Current understanding is limited by heterogeneous study design, follow-up durations, and measurement methods. Definition of subtypes of Long Covid is unclear, subsequently hampering effective treatment/management strategies.

Source: O’Mahoney LL, Routen A, Gillies C, Ekezie W, Welford A, Zhang A, Karamchandani U, Simms-Williams N, Cassambai S, Ardavani A, Wilkinson TJ, Hawthorne G, Curtis F, Kingsnorth AP, Almaqhawi A, Ward T, Ayoubkhani D, Banerjee A, Calvert M, Shafran R, Stephenson T, Sterne J, Ward H, Evans RA, Zaccardi F, Wright S, Khunti K. The prevalence and long-term health effects of Long Covid among hospitalised and non-hospitalised populations: A systematic review and meta-analysis. EClinicalMedicine. 2022 Dec 1;55:101762. doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101762. PMID: 36474804; PMCID: PMC9714474. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9714474/ (Full text)

Post–COVID-19 Symptoms 2 Years After SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Hospitalized vs Nonhospitalized Patients

Abstract:

Importance  Identification of long-term post–COVID-19 symptoms among hospitalized and nonhospitalized patients is needed.

Objective  To compare the presence of post–COVID-19 symptoms 2 years after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection between hospitalized and nonhospitalized patients.

Design, Setting, and Participants  A cross-sectional cohort study was conducted at 2 urban hospitals and general practitioner centers from March 20 to April 30, 2020, among 360 hospitalized patients and 308 nonhospitalized patients with acute SARS-CoV-2 infection during the first wave of the pandemic. Follow-up was conducted 2 years later.

Main Outcomes and Measures  Participants were scheduled for a telephone interview 2 years after acute infection. The presence of post–COVID-19 symptoms was systematically assessed, with particular attention to symptoms starting after infection. Hospitalization and clinical data were collected from medical records. Between-group comparisons and multivariate logistic regressions were conducted.

Results  A total of 360 hospitalized patients (162 women [45.0%]; mean [SD] age, 60.7 [16.1] years) and 308 nonhospitalized patients (183 women [59.4%]; mean [SD] age, 56.7 [14.7] years) were included. Dyspnea was more prevalent at the onset of illness among hospitalized than among nonhospitalized patients (112 [31.1%] vs 36 [11.7%]; P < .001), whereas anosmia was more prevalent among nonhospitalized than among hospitalized patients (66 [21.4%] vs 36 [10.0%]; P = .003). Hospitalized patients were assessed at a mean (SD) of 23.8 (0.6) months after hospital discharge, and nonhospitalized patients were assessed at a mean (SD) of 23.4 (0.7) months after the onset of symptoms. The number of patients who exhibited at least 1 post–COVID-19 symptom 2 years after infection was 215 (59.7%) among hospitalized patients and 208 (67.5%) among nonhospitalized patients (P = .01). Among hospitalized and nonhospitalized patients, fatigue (161 [44.7%] vs 147 [47.7%]), pain (129 [35.8%] vs 92 [29.9%]), and memory loss (72 [20.0%] vs 49 [15.9%]) were the most prevalent post–COVID-19 symptoms 2 years after SARS-CoV-2 infection. No significant differences in post–COVID-19 symptoms were observed between hospitalized and nonhospitalized patients. The number of preexisting medical comorbidities was associated with post–COVID-19 fatigue (odds ratio [OR], 1.93; 95% CI, 1.09-3.42; P = .02) and dyspnea (OR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.04-3.48; P = .03) among hospitalized patients. The number of preexisting medical comorbidities (OR, 3.75; 95% CI, 1.67-8.42; P = .001) and the number of symptoms at the onset of illness (OR, 3.84; 95% CI, 1.33-11.05; P = .01) were associated with post–COVID-19 fatigue among nonhospitalized patients.

Conclusions and Relevance  This cross-sectional study suggested the presence of at least 1 post–COVID-19 symptom in 59.7% of hospitalized patients and 67.5% of nonhospitalized patients 2 years after infection. Small differences in symptoms at onset of COVID-19 were identified between hospitalized and nonhospitalized patients. Post–COVID-19 symptoms were similar between hospitalized and nonhospitalized patients; however, lack of inclusion of uninfected controls limits the ability to assess the association of SARS-CoV-2 infection with overall and specific post–COVID-19 symptoms 2 years after acute infection. Future studies should include uninfected control populations.

Source: Fernández-de-las-Peñas, Martín-Guerrero, Hernández-Barrera. Post–COVID-19 Symptoms 2 Years After SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Hospitalized vs Nonhospitalized Patients. November 15, 2022. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.42106 (Full text)

Global prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome among long COVID-19 patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract:

Background: Chronic fatigue syndrome is a persistent and debilitating disorder. According to several studies, chronic fatigue syndrome has been identified among recovered COVID-19 patients as the most common symptom of long COVID. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis study was to obtain the prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome in long COVID cases.

Methods: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we analysed reported results of studies that assessed the occurrence of chronic fatigue syndrome among COVID-19 patients four weeks after the onset of symptoms. The study selection was commenced by searching PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, Scopus, Embase, and Google scholar using the keywords of Chronic fatigue syndrome, COVID-19, and post-COVID-19 syndrome. The searches were without a lower time limit and until April 2022. Heterogeneity of studies was assessed using the I2 index, and a random effects model was used for analysis. Data analysis was performed within the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software (version 2).

Results: The pooled prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome four weeks after the onset of COVID-19 symptoms, in 52 studies with a sample size of 127,117, was 45.2% (95% CI: 34.1-56.9%). Meta-regression analysis in examining the effects of the two factors of sample size, and year of study on the changes in the overall prevalence, showed that with increasing sample size, and year of study, the prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome among long COVID patients (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Our results show that the overall prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome as a long COVID symptom is 45.2%. Chronic fatigue after infection with COVID-19 can negatively affect personal and social lives. Given such significant negative consequences caused by the syndrome, it is recommended that health policymakers allocate funds to reduce the adverse effects of this syndrome, by creating programs to support long COVID patients.

Source: Salari N, Khodayari Y, Hosseinian-Far A, Zarei H, Rasoulpoor S, Akbari H, Mohammadi M. Global prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome among long COVID-19 patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Biopsychosoc Med. 2022 Oct 23;16(1):21. doi: 10.1186/s13030-022-00250-5. PMID: 36274177; PMCID: PMC9589726. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9589726/ (Full text)

Prevalence and Correlates of Long COVID Symptoms Among US Adults

Abstract:

Importance: Persistence of COVID-19 symptoms beyond 2 months, or long COVID, is increasingly recognized as a common sequela of acute infection.

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of and sociodemographic factors associated with long COVID and to identify whether the predominant variant at the time of infection and prior vaccination status are associated with differential risk.

Design, setting, and participants: This cross-sectional study comprised 8 waves of a nonprobability internet survey conducted between February 5, 2021, and July 6, 2022, among individuals aged 18 years or older, inclusive of all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Main outcomes and measures: Long COVID, defined as reporting continued COVID-19 symptoms beyond 2 months after the initial month of symptoms, among individuals with self-reported positive results of a polymerase chain reaction test or antigen test.

Results: The 16 091 survey respondents reporting test-confirmed COVID-19 illness at least 2 months prior had a mean age of 40.5 (15.2) years; 10 075 (62.6%) were women, and 6016 (37.4%) were men; 817 (5.1%) were Asian, 1826 (11.3%) were Black, 1546 (9.6%) were Hispanic, and 11 425 (71.0%) were White. From this cohort, 2359 individuals (14.7%) reported continued COVID-19 symptoms more than 2 months after acute illness. Reweighted to reflect national sociodemographic distributions, these individuals represented 13.9% of those who had tested positive for COVID-19, or 1.7% of US adults. In logistic regression models, older age per decade above 40 years (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.15; 95% CI, 1.12-1.19) and female gender (adjusted OR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.73-2.13) were associated with greater risk of persistence of long COVID; individuals with a graduate education vs high school or less (adjusted OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.56-0.79) and urban vs rural residence (adjusted OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.64-0.86) were less likely to report persistence of long COVID. Compared with ancestral COVID-19, infection during periods when the Epsilon variant (OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.69-0.95) or the Omicron variant (OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.64-0.92) predominated in the US was associated with diminished likelihood of long COVID. Completion of the primary vaccine series prior to acute illness was associated with diminished risk for long COVID (OR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.60-0.86).

Conclusions and relevance: This study suggests that long COVID is prevalent and associated with female gender and older age, while risk may be diminished by completion of primary vaccination series prior to infection.

Source: Perlis RH, Santillana M, Ognyanova K, Safarpour A, Lunz Trujillo K, Simonson MD, Green J, Quintana A, Druckman J, Baum MA, Lazer D. Prevalence and Correlates of Long COVID Symptoms Among US Adults. JAMA Netw Open. 2022 Oct 3;5(10):e2238804. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.38804. PMID: 36301542.  https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2797782 (Full text)

Long-COVID in people with intellectual disabilities: A call for research of a neglected area

Abstract:

Background: Long-COVID (also known as post-coronavirus-19 syndrome) is a term used to describe symptoms that people experience following their recovery from the COVID-19 virus. The severity of long-COVID is well recognised, with healthcare providers commissioning services to diagnose and treat those affected, as well as funded research into the condition.

Methods: We performed a systematic search for relevant articles but were unable to find any research on long-COVID in people with intellectual disabilities. Due to the lack of data, we have only been able to make extrapolations from what is known about the condition within the general population.

Findings: We provide an overview of long-COVID and its potential relevance to people with an intellectual disability. We have focused specifically on symptoms or signs, prevalence, risk factors and treatments of the condition in this group, highlighting areas for clinical practice and future research from a psychosocial perspective. We raise serious questions about our current understanding and the availability of the evidence-based to inform treatments tailored towards this population.

Conclusion: This is the first report that we are aware of on the topic of long-COVID in people with an intellectual disability. The lack of research is preventing us from gaining a greater understanding of how the condition impacts people with an intellectual disability.

Source: Rawlings GH, Beail N. Long-COVID in people with intellectual disabilities: A call for research of a neglected area. Br J Learn Disabil. 2022 Aug 29:10.1111/bld.12499. doi: 10.1111/bld.12499. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36247098; PMCID: PMC9538317. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9538317/  (Full text)

Long COVID symptoms in exposed and infected children, adolescents and their parents one year after SARS-CoV-2 infection: A prospective observational cohort study

Abstract:

Background: Long COVID in children and adolescents remains poorly understood due to a lack of well-controlled studies with long-term follow-up. In particular, the impact of the family context on persistent symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection remains unknown. We examined long COVID symptoms in a cohort of infected children, adolescents, and adults and their exposed but non-infected household members approximately 1 year after infection and investigated clustering of persistent symptoms within households.

Methods: 1267 members of 341 households (404 children aged <14 years, 140 adolescents aged 14-18 years and 723 adults) were categorized as having had either a SARS-CoV-2 infection or household exposure to SARS-CoV-2 without infection, based on three serological assays and history of laboratory-confirmed infection. Participants completed questionnaires assessing the presence of long COVID symptoms 11-12 months after infection in the household using online questionnaires.

Findings: The prevalence of moderate or severe persistent symptoms was statistically significantly higher in infected than in exposed women (36.4% [95% CI: 30.7-42.4%] vs 14.2% [95% CI: 8.7-21.5%]), infected men (22.9% [95% CI: 17.9-28.5%] vs 10.3% [95% CI: 5.8-16.9%]) and infected adolescent girls (32.1% 95% CI: 17.2-50.5%] vs 8.9% [95%CI: 3.1-19.8%]). However, moderate or severe persistent symptoms were not statistically more common in infected adolescent boys aged 14-18 (9.7% [95% CI: 2.8-23.6%] or in infected children <14 years (girls: 4.3% [95% CI: 1.2-11.0%]; boys: 3.7% [95% CI: 1.1-9.6%]) than in their exposed counterparts (adolescent boys: 0.0% [95% CI: 0.0-6.7%]; girls < 14 years: 2.3% [95% CI: 0·7-6·1%]; boys < 14 years: 0.0% [95% CI: 0.0-2.0%]). The number of persistent symptoms reported by individuals was associated with the number of persistent symptoms reported by their household members (IRR=1·11, p=·005, 95% CI [1.03-1.20]).

Interpretation: In this controlled, multi-centre study, infected men, women and adolescent girls were at increased risk of negative outcomes 11-12 months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Amongst non-infected adults, prevalence of negative outcomes was also high. Prolonged symptoms tended to cluster within families, suggesting family-level interventions for long COVID could prove useful.

Funding: Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

Source: Haddad A, Janda A, Renk H, Stich M, Frieh P, Kaier K, Lohrmann F, Nieters A, Willems A, Huzly D, Dulovic A, Schneiderhan-Marra N, Jacobsen EM, Fabricius D, Zernickel M, Stamminger T, Bode SFN, Himpel T, Remppis J, Engel C, Peter A, Ganzenmueller T, Hoffmann GF, Haase B, Kräusslich HG, Müller B, Franz AR, Debatin KM, Tönshoff B, Henneke P, Elling R. Long COVID symptoms in exposed and infected children, adolescents and their parents one year after SARS-CoV-2 infection: A prospective observational cohort study. EBioMedicine. 2022 Sep 22;84:104245. doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.104245. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36155957; PMCID: PMC9495281. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9495281/ (Full text)

The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and long COVID in US adults during the BA.5 surge, June-July 2022

Abstract:

Due to changes in SARS-CoV-2 testing practices, passive case-based surveillance may be an increasingly unreliable indicator for monitoring the burden of SARS-CoV-2, especially during surges. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of a population-representative sample of 3,042 U.S. adults between June 30 and July 2, 2022, during the Omicron BA.5 surge. Respondents were asked about SARS-CoV-2 testing and outcomes, COVID-like symptoms, contact with cases, and experience with prolonged COVID-19 symptoms following prior infection.

We estimated the weighted age and sex-standardized SARS-CoV-2 prevalence, during the 14-day period preceding the interview. We estimated age and gender adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) for current SARS-CoV-2 infection using a log-binomial regression model.

An estimated 17.3% (95% CI 14.9, 19.8) of respondents had SARS-CoV-2 infection during the two-week study period, equating to 44 million cases as compared to 1.8 million per the CDC during the same time period. SARS-CoV-2 prevalence was higher among those 18-24 years old (aPR 2.2, 95% CI 1.8, 2.7) and among non-Hispanic Black (aPR 1.7, 95% CI 1.4 ,2.2) and Hispanic (aPR 2.4, 95% CI 2.0 , 2.9). SARS-CoV-2 prevalence was also higher among those with lower income (aPR 1.9, 95% CI 1.5, 2.3), lower education (aPR 3.7 95% CI 3.0,4.7), and those with comorbidities (aPR 1.6, 95% CI 1.4, 2.0). An estimated 21.5% (95% CI 18.2, 24.7) of respondents with a SARS-CoV-2 infection more than 4 weeks prior reported long COVID symptoms.

The inequitable distribution of SARS-CoV-2 prevalence during the BA.5 surge will likely drive inequities in the future burden of long COVID.

Source: Saba Qasmieh, McKaylee Robertson, Chloe A Teasdale, Sarah Kulkarni, Heidi E Jones, Margaret McNairy, Luisa N Borrell, Denis Nash. The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and long COVID in US adults during the BA.5 surge, June-July 2022. medRxiv 2022.09.04.22279588; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.09.04.22279588 (Full text available as PDF file)

Post COVID-19 condition of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2

Abstract:

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of post coronavirus disease (COVID-19) condition of the Omicron variant in comparison to other strains.

Study design: A single-center cross-sectional study.

Methods: Patients who recovered from Omicron COVID-19 infection (Omicron group) were interviewed via telephone, and patients infected with other strains (control group) were surveyed via a self-reporting questionnaire. Data on patients’ characteristics, information regarding the acute-phase COVID-19, as well as presence and duration of COVID-19-related symptoms were obtained. Post COVID-19 condition in this study was defined as a symptom that lasted for at least 2 months, within 3 months of COVID-19 onset. We investigated and compared the prevalence of post COVID-19 condition in both groups after performing propensity score matching.

Results: We conducted interviews for 53 out of 128 patients with Omicron and obtained 502 responses in the control group. After matching cases with controls, 18 patients from both groups had improved covariate balance of the factors: older adult, female sex, obesity, and vaccination status. There were no significant differences in the prevalence of each post COVID-19 condition between the two groups. The number of patients with at least one post COVID-19 condition in the Omicron and control groups were 1 (5.6%) and 10 (55.6%) (p = 0.003), respectively.

Conclusions: The prevalence of post Omicron COVID-19 conditions was less than that of the other strains. Further research with a larger sample size is needed to investigate the precise epidemiology of post COVID-19 condition of Omicron, and its impact on health-related quality of life and social productivity.

Source: Morioka S, Tsuzuki S, Suzuki M, Terada M, Akashi M, Osanai Y, Kuge C, Sanada M, Tanaka K, Maruki T, Takahashi K, Saito S, Hayakawa K, Teruya K, Hojo M, Ohmagari N. Post COVID-19 condition of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2. J Infect Chemother. 2022 Aug 11:S1341-321X(22)00233-1. doi: 10.1016/j.jiac.2022.08.007. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35963600; PMCID: PMC9365517. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9365517/ (Full text)