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. 2021 Nov;40(11):2421-2425.
doi: 10.1007/s10096-021-04261-y. Epub 2021 Apr 23.

Prevalence and characteristics of persistent symptoms after non-severe COVID-19: a prospective cohort study

Lucas Armange  1 , François Bénézit  1 , Léa Picard  1 , Charlotte Pronier  2 , Stéphanie Guillot  3 , Pierre-Axel Lentz  4 , François Carré  5 , Pierre Tattevin #  6 , Matthieu Revest #  1
Affiliations

Prevalence and characteristics of persistent symptoms after non-severe COVID-19: a prospective cohort study

Lucas Armange et al. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2021 Nov.

Abstract

We performed a prospective cohort study of 311 outpatients with non-severe COVID-19 (187 women, median age 39 years). Of the 214 (68.8%) who completed the 6-week follow-up questionnaire, 115 (53.7%) had recovered. Others mostly reported dyspnea (n = 86, 40.2%), weight loss (n = 83, 38.8%), sleep disorders (n = 68, 31.8%), and anxiety (n = 56, 26.2%). Of those who developed ageusia and anosmia, these symptoms were still present at week 6 in, respectively, 11/111 (9.9%) and 19/114 (16.7%). Chest CT scan and lung function tests found no explanation in the most disabled patients (n = 23). This study confirms the high prevalence of persistent symptoms after non-severe COVID-19.

Keywords: Asthenia; COVID-19; Dyspnea; Investigations; Persistent symptoms; Prospective cohort.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Study flow chart
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Non-contrast chest CT scan. a, b Consolidations and ground-glass opacities with crazy paving at baseline in 2 patients. c, d Same patients, control at 10 weeks with nearly complete resolution
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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