Delayed Symptoms in Patients Recovered from COVID-19

COVID-19 is a new disease, so we don’t know what comes next. Since information on delayed symptoms is limited, this study was conducted to assess the frequency of delayed symptoms in patients with COVID-19.

This follow-up cross-sectional study was conducted in a referral general hospital in Tehran, Iran from Feb to Apr 2020. Two hundred patients hospitalized for COVID-19 and were discharged were assessed for delayed symptoms 6 wk after discharge.

The mean age of the participants was 55.58±13.52, and 160 (80%) Of them were male. On admission to hospital, patients reported a mean of 5.63±2.88 symptoms per patient, range from 1 to 14 symptoms. Dyspnea was seen in 119 (59.5%) 0f them as the most frequent symptom. Then weakness, myalgia, and shivering were reported with a frequency of 111 (55.5%), 107 (53.5%), and 103 (51.5%), respectively. Six weeks after discharge reassessment was done. None of the patients was readmitted to the hospital. Ninety-four (42%) of them were symptom-free. Fatigue was the most frequent delayed symptom with a frequency of 39 (19.5%), and then dyspnea, weakness, and activity intolerance with a frequency of 37 (18.5%), 36 (18%), and 29 (14.5%) were reported, respectively.

Fatigue, dyspnea, weakness, anxiety, and activity intolerance were most frequent delayed symptoms, respectively. Majority of patient was symptoms free and those with symptom, had mild to moderate symptoms. The importance of symptoms is not fully recognized. Follow up clinics and in some cases rehabilitation programs may be helpful.