Informing the management of the post-COVID condition: Insights from the Western Australian experience comparing those who tested positive and negative to early COVID-19 strains
Publication Details
Grove, K.,
Cavalheri, V.,
Huijun, C.,
Natarajan, V.,
Harrold, M.,
Mohd, S.,
Hurn, E.,
Van der Lee, L.,
Maiorana, A.,
Tearne, J.,
Watson, C.,
Pearce, J.,
Jacques, A.,
White, A.,
Vicary, C.,
Roffman, C.,
Synnott, E.,
Suttie, I.,
Lin, I.,
Larsson, J.,
Naylor, L.,
Woodhouse, L.,
Elliott, M.,
Gittings, P.,
Winship, P.,
Timms, R.,
Wulff, S.,
Hebden-Todd, T.,
&
Edgar, D. W.
(2024).
Informing the management of the post-COVID condition: Insights from the Western Australian experience comparing those who tested positive and negative to early COVID-19 strains.
Australian Health Review, 48 (5), 601-611.
Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to compare the relative physical recovery and symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection between groups confirmed positive or negative to early strains of COVID-19.
Methods: A prospective, longitudinal cohort study compared outcomes of metropolitan adults polymerase chain reaction-tested for COVID-19 between March and November 2020 in Western Australia. Control matching was attempted: inpatients (gender, age) and ambulatory clinic (gender, age, asthma, chronic pulmonary disease). One-year follow-up involved three repeated measures: physical function (grip strength and 1-min sit-to-stand) and patient reported outcomes (Fatigue Severity Scale, modified Medical Research Council dyspnoea scale and Euroqol-5D-5L).
Results: Three hundred and forty-four participants were recruited (154 COVID+, age 54 ± 18 years, 75 females [49%]); 190 COVID−, age 52 ± 16 years, 67 females [35%]) prior to national vaccination roll-out. No between-group differences in physical function measures were evident at any time point. Fatigue (OR 6.62, 95% CI 2.74–15.97) and dyspnoea (OR 2.21, 95% CI 1.14–4.30) were higher in the COVID+ group at second assessment (T2). On Euroqol-5D-5L, no between-group differences were evident in the physical function domains of self-care, mobility or usual activities at any time point. However, COVID+ participants were less likely to report an absence of anxiety or depression symptoms at T2 (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.19–0.89).
Conclusions: Neither statistical nor clinically meaningful differences in physical function were evident between COVID+ and COVID− participants to 12-months after acute illness. Symptoms of fatigue, dyspnoea, anxiety or depression were more prevalent in the COVID+ group til ~8 months after illness with between-group differences no longer evident at 1 year.
Keywords
anxiety, control group, COVID-19 virus infection, depression, dyspnoea, fatigue, pain, primary care, quality of life
Link to Publisher Version (URL)
