The following is a summary of “Post-recovery health domain scores among outpatients by SARS-CoV-2 testing status during the pre-Delta period,” published in the March 2024 issue of Infectious Disease by King, et al.
Researchers started a retrospective study to investigate whether self-reported disability differed between individuals with and without SARS-CoV-2 who presented with mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms before widespread vaccination.
They tested unvaccinated adults with COVID-19-like illness within 10 days of symptom onset at three US Flu Vaccine Effectiveness Network sites using a molecular assay for SARS-CoV-2. Participants completed an enrollment questionnaire and two follow-up surveys (7–24 days and 2–7 months after symptom onset) online or by phone to evaluate illness characteristics and health status. The second survey assessed global health, physical function, fatigue, and dyspnea. Scores were compared based on participants’ SARS-CoV-2 test results using various statistical analyses.
The results showed 2712 eligible adults, with 1541 completing the first follow-up survey and 650 completing the second one (September 22, 2020, to February 13, 2021). SARS-CoV-2-positive participants were likelier to report fever during acute illness but were otherwise similar to SARS-CoV-2-negative participants. During the first follow-up, SARS-CoV-2-positive individuals were less likely to have fully or mostly recovered from their illness compared to SARS-CoV-2-negative individuals. However, no differences in the four domains were observed by the second follow-up based on SARS-CoV-2 test results in the multivariable model.
Investigators concluded no lasting disability difference between COVID-19-positive and negative outpatients with mild illness.
Source: bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12879-024-09108-3