Musculoskeletal symptoms and related factors in postacute COVID‐19 patients

Abstract

Aim There is a lack of an overview of the factors associated with postacute COVID‐19 musculoskeletal symptoms. The aims of this study were as follows: 1‐ to evaluate the most frequent admission symptoms and the frequency of musculoskeletal symptoms in postacute COVID‐19 patients; and 2‐ to determine the related factors with the postacute COVID‐19 musculoskeletal symptoms. Methods A total of 280 postacute COVID‐19 patients (183 females, 97 males) were enrolled and divided into two groups: 1‐ patients whose musculoskeletal symptoms initiated with or were aggravated by COVID‐19 (n = 240); and 2‐ patients whose musculoskeletal symptoms did not change with COVID‐19 (n = 40). The variables were demographic and treatment data, symptoms on admission, postacute COVID‐19 symptoms, laboratory results (complete blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C‐reactive protein, ferritin and d ‐dimer), chest computed tomography findings and symptoms during acute COVID‐19. Results Most of the patients have fatigue (71.8%), spine pain (70.7%) and myalgia (60.7%). The most common pain region was the back (30.4%). The frequency of dyspnoea was 30%, cough 18.5% and chest pain 10.7%. Having any chronic disease ( P = .031), the duration of hospital stay ( P = .016), frequency of back pain during acute COVID‐19 ( P = .018), tomography findings and d ‐dimer ( P = .035) levels were significantly higher, and lymphocyte ( P = .024) levels were significantly lower in the patients whose symptoms began with or were aggravated by COVID‐19. Conclusion Back pain was the most frequent symptom on admission. The most common postacute COVID‐19 musculoskeletal symptoms were fatigue, spine pain and myalgia. Lower lymphocyte and higher d ‐dimer levels, the presence of COVID‐19 findings in tomography and back pain during acute COVID‐19 infection, higher duration of hospital stay and having chronic diseases were related to post‐COVID‐19 musculoskeletal symptoms.

Prevalence and risk factors of musculoskeletal pain symptoms as long-term post-COVID sequelae in hospitalized COVID-19 survivors: a multicenter study

“…19 Differences in age, sex, preexisting comorbidities—particularly history of musculoskeletal pain (data not considered in most studies)—or severity of the disease could explain discrepancies. On the contrary, our results fall slightly below from those reported by 3 small cohort studies providing prevalence rates of musculoskeletal post-COVID pain up to 60% after 1 7,27 and 3 44 months. Only one study considered the presence of previous musculoskeletal pain.…”

“…Finally, we also observed that a longer hospital stay was a risk factor, but showing a smaller influence, for musculoskeletal post-COVID pain, in agreement with a previous study. 7 It is possible that hospitalization factors such as physical inactivity or treatment received for managing the infection could promote future musculoskeletal post-COVID pain.…”

Prevalence of Neuropathic Component in Post-COVID Pain Symptoms in Previously Hospitalized COVID-19 Survivors

“…Musculoskeletal pain (myalgia) is one of the most common symptoms experienced during the acute phase of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection [ 1 , 2 ]. In addition, pain is also present in up to 18% of individuals experiencing post-COVID symptoms during the first year after infection [ 3 ].…”

Symptom burden correlates to impairment of diffusion capacity and exercise intolerance in long COVID patients

“…Even after 3 months of a healed COVID-19 illness, many patients still experience persistent symptoms with a heterogeneous pattern consisting mainly of respiratory and neuropsychological complaints. Still, otolaryngological, endocrinological and dermatological symptoms are frequently reported 1 – 3 . The most common symptoms are dyspnoea and fatigue (“head fog”).…”