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. 2021 Mar:104:363-369.
doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2021.01.031. Epub 2021 Jan 18.

Viral arthralgia a new manifestation of COVID-19 infection? A cohort study of COVID-19-associated musculoskeletal symptoms

Caroline Wei Shan Hoong  1 , Muhammad Nakib Monjur E Amin  2 , Teck Choon Tan  3 , Jer En Lee  2
Affiliations

Viral arthralgia a new manifestation of COVID-19 infection? A cohort study of COVID-19-associated musculoskeletal symptoms

Caroline Wei Shan Hoong et al. Int J Infect Dis. 2021 Mar.

Abstract

Objectives: Musculoskeletal symptoms are often unrecognised as a prominent feature of COVID-19 infection. This study hypothesised that viral arthralgia is an uncommon but distinct manifestation of COVID-19 infection. In addition, it aimed to characterise the other musculoskeletal presentations of COVID-19 infection and study their prognostic implications.

Methods: Patients hospitalised with COVID-19 infection were divided into two groups: those with and without musculoskeletal symptoms. Those with musculoskeletal symptoms were subdivided according to four patterns of musculoskeletal involvement: myalgia, arthralgia, backache and generalised body ache. Using binary regression logistic analysis, the risk of developing a viral pneumonia in patients with and without musculoskeletal complaints was compared.

Results: Of 294 hospitalised patients with COVID-19, 88 (30%) reported musculoskeletal complaints. Among these 88 patients, 37.5% had myalgia, 5.7% arthralgia, 6.8% new-onset backache and 50% generalised body ache. The presence of musculoskeletal complaints was not associated with the risk of developing viral pneumonia (6.8% vs. 9.7%, OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.26-1.76, p = 0.426). COVID-19 arthralgia was often more severe and had variable onset, while generalised body ache and myalgia were milder and coincided with the occurrence of fever or respiratory symptoms.

Conclusion: Viral arthralgia is a novel clinical manifestation of COVID-19, and untypical of a viral prodrome or a reactive arthropathy. While musculoskeletal symptoms were not associated with developing a pneumonia, to avoid missing a diagnosis of COVID-19, clinicians should be aware of its variable onset, particularly when respiratory symptoms are absent at the time of presentation.

Keywords: COVID-19 pneumonia; Diagnosis; Musculoskeletal; Myalgia; Novel entity; Viral arthralgia.

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