Post-COVID-19 Clinical Symptom Frequency and Associated Factors in a Cohort of Patients Discharged from the ICU and Monitored for 12 Months, in Libreville, Gabon
Manomba Boulingui Charleine
Service d’infectiologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Libreville, Gabon and Département de Médecine et Spécialités Médicales, Université des Sciences de la Santé, Gabon.
Moutombi Ditombi Bridy
Département des Sciences Fondamentales, Parasitologie-Mycologie-Médecine Tropicale, Faculté de Médecine, Université des Sciences de la Santé, Gabon.
Jean Félix Ngomas Moukady
Département de Médecine et Spécialités Médicales, Université des Sciences de la Santé, Gabon.
Essomeyo Mebale Magalie
Service d’infectiologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Libreville, Gabon and Département de Médecine et Spécialités Médicales, Université des Sciences de la Santé, Gabon.
Ntsame Owono Michelle Marion
Service d’infectiologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Libreville, Gabon and Département de Médecine et Spécialités Médicales, Université des Sciences de la Santé, Gabon.
Kombila Ulrich Davy
Département de Médecine et Spécialités Médicales, Université des Sciences de la Santé, Gabon.
Kouna Ndouongo Philomene
Département de Médecine et Spécialités Médicales, Université des Sciences de la Santé, Gabon.
Bouyou Akotet Marielle *
Département des Sciences Fondamentales, Parasitologie-Mycologie-Médecine Tropicale, Faculté de Médecine, Université des Sciences de la Santé, Gabon.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: This study determined the prevalence and evolution of long COVID symptoms in patients hospitalized for severe COVID-19 at the CHUL intensive care unit in Libreville, Gabon.
Study Design: Prospective, longitudinal, study.
Place and Duration of Study: Infectiology Unit, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Libreville Hospitalier Universitaire de LibrevH (CHUL), between January 2021 and January 2022.
Methodology: We included 144 patients (84 men, 60 women; median age 46.4 [16-88] years) hospitalized in the intense care unit for a RT-PCR- confirmed COVID-19 and who have accepted a one-year follow-up. All patients were consulted quarterly for 12 months. During the follow-up, existence, appearance and types of symptoms were sought at 3, 6 and 12-months post-hospitalization.
Results: The prevalence of long COVID-19 was 52.1% (n=75/144). Fatigue (21.3%), cough (20.8%), sleep disorders (16.0%) and anxiety (11.1%) predominated at month-3. The main symptoms reported 6-months after the onset of infection were dyspnea (9.7%; n=14), anxiety (7.6%; n=11), fatigue (6.2%; n=9) and cough (3.5%; n=5). One year after, the persistent symptoms were anxiety (6.5%; n=9), dyspnea (1.4%; n=2). Most participants had only one symptom: 60% at month-3, 79.5% at month-6 and 77.8% at 12-months (p=0.04).
Conclusion: The long COVID is frequent among patients hospitalized for severe form of SARS-COV-2 infection. It is imperative to continue generating information for appropriate prevention and monitoring measures to be adopted in Gabon.
Keywords: Long COVID, severe SARS-CoV-2 infection, libreville