Persistent/Late-Onset Complications of COVID-19 in General Population: A Cross-Sectional Study in Tehran, Iran.
Peyman Saberian, Behshad Pazooki, Parisa Hasani-Sharamin and 4 others
PMID 35855388WHAT IT FOUND
Four weeks after symptom onset, 345 of 447 Tehran patients reported persistent complications, especially cardiopulmonary symptoms, hair loss, and fatigue; female sex, inadequate rest, and psychological distress were associated.
Key findings
01345 patients (77.2%) reported at least one persistent/late-onset complication.
02Hair loss (145 cases, 32.4%) and fatigue (139 cases, 31.1%) were the most prevalent individual complications.
03In adjusted analysis, female sex, inadequate rest, and psychological distress were significantly associated with at least one complication.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Symptoms were self-reported by phone using a checklist, so people who declined may differ from those included. Death and hospitalization at four weeks were excluded, so the findings apply to survivors who were alive, confirmed COVID-19, and willing to participate. The time between illness onset and interview varied, so symptoms may have been asked about at different points in recovery. The study did not assess disease severity by amount of lung involvement, so it cannot link symptoms to how severe the acute illness was. Because it is cross-sectional, it shows associations at one time point, not causes; for example, psychological distress may be a symptom or a risk factor.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that inadequate rest, female sex, or psychological distress cause persistent complications. The study measured associations at one time point and did not test whether changing rest or distress reduces symptoms.