Evaluation and follow-up of pain, fatigue, and quality of life in COVID-19 patients

Abstract

Objectives: We evaluated pain, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and quality of life in patients hospitalized for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and observed them over a period of 3 months. We also investigated the relationship of these symptoms to age, gender, disease severity, and levels of anxiety and depression.Methods: The study included 100 confirmed COVID-19 patients (i.e., positive on a polymerase chain reaction test) between the ages of 18 and 75 years. Pain (visual analog scale [VAS]), fatigue (fatigue severity scale), anxiety, and depression (hospital anxiety and depression scales) were evaluated on the first day of hospitalization and at 1-month and 3-month follow-ups. The short form-12 questionnaire was used to measure quality of life at the 1-month and 3-month follow-ups.Results: No differences were found in pain, fatigue, anxiety levels, depression levels, and quality of life according to disease severity. High VAS scores at hospital admission were related to continued pain at the 3-month follow-up (odds ratio [OR], 1.067; p<0.001). High VAS (OR, 1.072; p=0.003) and anxiety levels (OR, 1.360; p<0.007) were related to severe fatigue at the 3-month evaluation.Conclusion: Pain, fatigue, anxiety, and depression appear to be long-term sequelae of COVID-19 and can affect quality of life. High VAS and anxiety levels were found to be associated with long-term fatigue.

The Prevalence and Associated Factors of Post-COVID-19 Fatigue: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…In this literature review and meta-analysis, we included 38 studies [ 12 , 24 - 60 ], and the sample sizes ranged from 40 to 2,649 comprising 17,738 cases of COVID-19 infection. The prevalence of fatigue ranged from 3.0% to 90.5%.…”

“…The comorbidities [ 34 , 45 , 60 ], preexisting hypertension [ 34 , 45 , 55 ], lung disease [ 12 , 34 , 51 , 52 , 58 ], high VAS [ 28 , 49 , 52 - 54 , 56 ], former smoking [ 12 , 34 , 48 ], current smoking [ 54 , 60 ], and depression [ 34 , 39 , 40 , 52 , 54 , 60 ] were categorized as basic health status. By the random-effects model, the results indicated that preexisting hypertension, lung disease, and depression were risk factors for post-COVID-19 fatigue, with a pooled OR of 1.24 (95% CI: 1.08-1.42; p=0.002), 2.71 (95% CI: 1.07-6.89; p=0.036), and 1.55 (95% CI: 1.01-2.39; p=0.045).…”

“…Many experts have pointed out that the occurrence of fatigue symptoms often leads to a reduction in physical performance, and a decrease in quality of life, and may even cause a series of complications. Multiple studies [ 12 , 13 ] have verified that post-COVID-19 fatigue is likely to result in late-onset pain, decreased exercise capacity, insomnia, and post-exertional malaise [ 14 ]. We should give post-COVID-19 fatigue enough attention because it may be detrimental to people's health and quality of life [ 15 ].…”