Patterns and combinations of long-term COVID symptoms in adults and elderly in Southern Brazil: a population-based Sulcovid Study

Background The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has affected a large number of subjects, with high costs in terms of morbidity and mortality. Several reports have described the long-term consequences of COVID-19 and the effects of COVID on multiple systems. To identify the patterns and combinations of symptoms of long-term COVID six to ten months after the initial infection in adults and elderly people in southern Brazil. Methods Cross-sectional population-based conducted between December 2020 and March 2021 April. The sample included individuals aged 18 years or older who had a diagnosis of COVID-19 confirmed through the RT-PCR. The presence of 18 symptoms of long COVID was investigated. Long COVID patterns were identified using principal component analysis. The identified patterns were stratified according to the independent variables and presented respective proportions and 95% confidence intervals. Results A total of 2,919 individuals were interviewed. The median time after infection was 200 days (± 192.9). The most prevalent symptoms were fatigue/tiredness (19.6%), memory loss (17.7%), loss of attention (13.9%), loss of smell (11.3%), headache (11.7%) and muscle pain (10.1%). Four long-term COVID symptom patterns have been identified, namely: respiratory, neuromusculoskeletal, cognitive and neurosensory. The four patterns showed higher prevalence among females and among interviewees hospitalized during the acute phase of the disease. Respiratory, neuromusculoskeletal and cognitive patterns were higher among respondents with two or more morbidities. Conclusions The current study has shown that there are patterns of symptoms after COVID-19. Four distinct patterns of long-term COVID symptoms have been identified six to ten months after initial infection in adults and the elderly. Managers and health professionals can organize services and direct assistance, focusing on higher-risk groups, such as female individuals, hospitalized in the acute phase of the disease and people with chronic diseases.