Short Paper: Risk Factors for Long-Term Persistent Symptoms in COVID-19 in an Outpatient Cohort (Preprint)
BACKGROUND Symptom descriptions in outpatients with COVID-19 are limited to cross-sectional surveys and longitudinal follow-up of long term symptoms has not been reported. Symptom duration is important for patient and provider knowledge in managing outpatient COVID-19. OBJECTIVE Describe the presence of symptoms at long term follow-up of patients managed in an outpatient telemedicine program for acute COVID-19. METHODS Chart review of clinical notes for acute COVID-19 and long term follow-up calls. Descriptive analysis were conducted using Wilcoxon rank-sum for continuous variables and chi-square or Fisher’s Exact as appropriate for categorical variables. RESULTS Minor symptoms were reported by 55 patients (34.8%) and 7 (4.4%) reported major ongoing symptoms at follow-up call. Factors associated with prolonged symptoms include older age, provider reported higher symptom severity at intake visit, and BMI >30. Symptoms which persisted include shortness of breath on exertion, wheeze, nausea, and joint pain. CONCLUSIONS Persistence of symptoms after acute COVID-19 in outpatients is common. Risk factors may help predict which patients are more likely to have prolonged symptoms.