Characteristics of a Danish Post-COVID Cohort Referred for Examination due to Persistent Symptoms Six Months after Mild Acute COVID-19

Abstract

Background: Post-COVID Clinics were recommended for patients with persistent symptoms following COVID-19, but no specific tests were suggested for evaluation. This study aimed to present a post-COVID clinic patient cohort and evaluate the use of a post-COVID symptom questionnaire (PCQ) score. Methods: Patients were referred from a population of approximately 1 million citizens. PCQ and standardized health scales were registered. Descriptive analyses were performed to assess the prevalence of symptoms, and correlation analyses was undertaken to asses convergent and discriminant trends between PCQ scores and health scales. Results: Of 547 patients, 447 accepted inclusion. The median age was 47 years and 12% of the patients were hospitalized. At a median of 6.3 (IQR 4.4–9.9) months after the onset of symptoms, 82% of the patients reported both physical exhaustion and concentration difficulties. Functional disability and extreme fatigue were reported as moderate to severe by 33% and 62% of the patients, respectively. The PCQ score correlated significantly with each of the standardized health scales. Conclusion: Patients referred to a Post-COVID Clinic were previously generally healthy. At the time of diagnosis, they reported multiple symptoms with severely affected health. The PCQ score could be used as valid measure of Post-COVID severity.