Postdischarge pain, fatigue severity and quality of life in COVID-19 survivors

Authors : Esma DEMİRHAN, Sevgi ATAR, Günay ER, İpek OKUTAN, Ömer KURU

Pages : 57-65

Doi:10.18621/eurj.1034610

View : 54 | Download : 12

Publication Date : 2023-01-04

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Objectives: Fatigue and pain symptoms were common complaints among post-COVID-19 patients, and these lead to impaired quality of life insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(QoL);. We aimed to evaluate severity of pain and fatigue 3 months after disease onset in discharged COVID-19 patients. Methods: Patients were contacted by phone at their third month following disease onset. Demographic data of the patients such as weight, height, body mass index insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(BMI);, gender, smoking history, comorbidities, length of hospitalization, duration of stay in the intensive care unit, were recorded. The patients\` pain and fatigue severities were evaluated by visual analog scale insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(VAS);. QoL was questioned with the EuroQol Group Association five-domain, three-level questionnaire insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(EQ-5D-3L);. Results: A total of 392 participants enrolled into the study. At admission, 94.6% of the participants had fatigue and 73.7% of them had pain. A high proportion of them still reported fatigue insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(55.1%); and pain insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(41.3%); at third month. The mean value of pain-VAS score was 5.37 ± 3.85, and it was 7.58 ± 2.82 for fatigue-VAS at admission. VAS scores of pain and fatigue at third month were 1.44 ± 2.11 and 2.04 ± 2.40 respectively. While 66.6% of the patients reported moderate-severe pain at disease onset, the rate was 18.1% at the third month. And also almost half had severe pain at admission insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(48%);, it was 2.8% at third month. At disease onset 89.6% of the patients reported moderate-severe fatigue insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(severe: 48%);. Aproximately one third of them had moderate-severe fatigue insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(27.9%); at third month insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(severe: 5.1%);. The mean value of EQ-VAS score was 26.76 ± 20.26 at admission, and it was 78.84 ±16.15 at third month. Statistically significant differences were recorded between the disease onset and third month in terms of pain-VAS fatigue-VAS, and EQ-VAS scores insert ignore into journalissuearticles values( p < 0.001);. Female gender, ICU admission, long duration of hospitalization, older age, higher BMI scores, multiple comorbidities, fatigue and pain severity were related to the decrease in QoL scores. Conclusions: Hospitalized COVID-19 survivors need ongoing support for pain, fatigue complaints and impaired QoL after discharge. The factors that cause poor QoL should be taken into account during post-COVID-19 follow up.
Keywords : COVID 19, pain, fatigue, visual analog scale VAS, quality of life, EQ 5D 3L

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