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. 2021 Sep 26;10(10):1246.
doi: 10.3390/pathogens10101246.

Recognition of Long-COVID-19 Patients in a Canadian Tertiary Hospital Setting: A Retrospective Analysis of Their Clinical and Laboratory Characteristics

Robert Kozak  1 , Susan M Armstrong  1 , Elsa Salvant  1 , Claudia Ritzker  1 , Jordan Feld  2 , Mia J Biondi  2 , Hubert Tsui  1
Affiliations

Recognition of Long-COVID-19 Patients in a Canadian Tertiary Hospital Setting: A Retrospective Analysis of Their Clinical and Laboratory Characteristics

Robert Kozak et al. Pathogens. .

Abstract

A proportion of patients with COVID-19 have symptoms past the acute disease phase, which may affect quality of life. It is important for clinicians to be aware of this "long-COVID-19" syndrome to better diagnose, treat, and prevent it. We reviewed clinical and laboratory characteristics of a COVID-19 cohort in a Toronto, Ontario tertiary care center. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected, and patients were classified as "long-COVID-19" or "non-long-COVID-19" using consensus criteria. Of 397 patients who tested positive for COVID-19, 223 met inclusion criteria, and 62 (27%) had long-COVID-19. These patients had a similar age distribution compared to non-long-COVID-19 patients overall but were younger in the admitted long COVID-19 group. The long-COVID-19 group had more inpatients compared to the non-long-COVID-19 group (39% vs. 25%) and more frequent supplemental oxygen or mechanical ventilation use. However, long-COVID-19 patients did not differ by duration of mechanical ventilation, length of stay, comorbidities, or values of common laboratory tests ordered. The most frequent symptoms associated with long-COVID-19 were fatigue and weakness, as reported most commonly by the infectious disease, respirology and cardiology disciplines. In conclusion, by retrospective chart review, 27% of COVID-19 patients presenting to a tertiary care center in Toronto, Canada, were found to meet criteria for long-COVID-19. Past medical history and routine laboratory testing at presentation did not predict for long-COVID-19 development.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; disease biomarkers; long-COVID; long-haulers; retrospective analysis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of patients diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 between 1 January and 8 June 2020. Patient cohorts characterized according to laboratory investigations performed and level of oxygen received/mechanical ventilation.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Follow-up visits amongst long-COVID-19 cohort. Appointments with various specialty services 3 months or greater after the COVID-19 diagnosis are listed.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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