Prevalence, Evolution and Prognostic Factors of PASC in a Cohort of Patients Discharged from a COVID Unit

<b>Background and Aim</b>: PASC is a potentially debilitating clinical condition consisting of different general symptoms experienced by about 10% of patients with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our study analyses a cohort of patients with a history of hospitalization for COVID-19 and ai...

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Main Authors: Mariantonietta Pisaturo, Antonio Russo, Pierantonio Grimaldi, Caterina Monari, Simona Imbriani, Klodian Gjeloshi, Carmen Ricozzi, Roberta Astorri, Caterina Curatolo, Roberta Palladino, Francesco Caruso, Francesca Ambrisi, Lorenzo Onorato, Nicola Coppola
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Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Biomedicines
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/6/1414
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author Mariantonietta Pisaturo
Antonio Russo
Pierantonio Grimaldi
Caterina Monari
Simona Imbriani
Klodian Gjeloshi
Carmen Ricozzi
Roberta Astorri
Caterina Curatolo
Roberta Palladino
Francesco Caruso
Francesca Ambrisi
Lorenzo Onorato
Nicola Coppola
author_facet Mariantonietta Pisaturo
Antonio Russo
Pierantonio Grimaldi
Caterina Monari
Simona Imbriani
Klodian Gjeloshi
Carmen Ricozzi
Roberta Astorri
Caterina Curatolo
Roberta Palladino
Francesco Caruso
Francesca Ambrisi
Lorenzo Onorato
Nicola Coppola
author_sort Mariantonietta Pisaturo
collection DOAJ
description <b>Background and Aim</b>: PASC is a potentially debilitating clinical condition consisting of different general symptoms experienced by about 10% of patients with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our study analyses a cohort of patients with a history of hospitalization for COVID-19 and aims to evaluate prognostic factors for experiencing PASC and to investigate the characteristics of patients experiencing PASC symptoms. <b>Methods</b>: This is an observational, monocentric retrospective study including all adult patients admitted to our COVID unit from 28 February 2020 to 30 April 2022, discharged alive, and having performed at least one follow-up visit at our post-COVID outpatient clinic after a minimum of three months from discharge. Patients who experienced persistent clinical manifestations or the development of new symptoms three months after the initial SARS-CoV-2 infection, with these symptoms lasting for at least two months with no other explanation, were defined as having PASC. <b>Results</b>: A total of 429 patients were discharged alive from our COVID Unit and 244 patients performed at least one follow-up visit in our outpatient clinic. Of these, 134 patients did not experience PASC, while 110 patients experienced PASC. Long-COVID patients were more frequently female (43.6% vs. 31.3%, <i>p</i> = 0.048), more frequently presented throat pain and headache at hospital admission (respectively 8.9% vs. 2.5%, <i>p</i> = 0.041 and 15.8% vs. 5%, <i>p</i> = 0.007), and were more likely to have a history of type 2 diabetes mellitus (25.5% vs. 13%, <i>p</i> =0.013). At the multivariable analysis, female gender, type 2 diabetes, and headache at admission were factors associated with PASC. All 46 patients who performed at least two different admissions in our outpatient clinic were divided in two groups: the first including the 16 patients who experienced a reduction or a resolution of symptoms related to COVID-19, the second comprising the 30 patients who experienced clinical worsening or persisting symptoms. Smoking habit was more represented among patients with stable or worsening symptoms (42.3% vs. 7.7%, <i>p</i> = 0.042); myalgias at admission were more frequent in the clinical worsening group (27.6% vs. 0%, <i>p</i>= 0.039); and a larger amount of patients who reported neuropsychiatric symptoms and respiratory symptoms were in the stable or worsening PASC symptoms group. <b>Discussion</b>: In conclusion, this study underscores the complexity of PASC, identifying female sex, Type 2 diabetes, and certain acute COVID-19 symptoms as potential predisposing factors for its development. PASC still represents a substantial public health challenge, and ongoing efforts are essential to better understand its underlying mechanisms and improve patient outcomes.
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spelling doaj-art-3a1322878f7f49038cb01e7d64e05bcc2025-08-20T02:24:41ZengMDPI AGBiomedicines2227-90592025-06-01136141410.3390/biomedicines13061414Prevalence, Evolution and Prognostic Factors of PASC in a Cohort of Patients Discharged from a COVID UnitMariantonietta Pisaturo0Antonio Russo1Pierantonio Grimaldi2Caterina Monari3Simona Imbriani4Klodian Gjeloshi5Carmen Ricozzi6Roberta Astorri7Caterina Curatolo8Roberta Palladino9Francesco Caruso10Francesca Ambrisi11Lorenzo Onorato12Nicola Coppola13Department of Mental Health and Public Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Mental Health and Public Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Mental Health and Public Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, ItalyInfectious Diseases Unit, AOU Luigi Vanvitelli, 80131 Naples, ItalyInfectious Diseases Unit, AOU Luigi Vanvitelli, 80131 Naples, ItalyInfectious Diseases Unit, AOU Luigi Vanvitelli, 80131 Naples, ItalyInfectious Diseases Unit, AOU Luigi Vanvitelli, 80131 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, LUM University “Giuseppe Degennaro”, 70010 Casamassima, ItalyDepartment of Mental Health and Public Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Mental Health and Public Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Mental Health and Public Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Mental Health and Public Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Mental Health and Public Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Mental Health and Public Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy<b>Background and Aim</b>: PASC is a potentially debilitating clinical condition consisting of different general symptoms experienced by about 10% of patients with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our study analyses a cohort of patients with a history of hospitalization for COVID-19 and aims to evaluate prognostic factors for experiencing PASC and to investigate the characteristics of patients experiencing PASC symptoms. <b>Methods</b>: This is an observational, monocentric retrospective study including all adult patients admitted to our COVID unit from 28 February 2020 to 30 April 2022, discharged alive, and having performed at least one follow-up visit at our post-COVID outpatient clinic after a minimum of three months from discharge. Patients who experienced persistent clinical manifestations or the development of new symptoms three months after the initial SARS-CoV-2 infection, with these symptoms lasting for at least two months with no other explanation, were defined as having PASC. <b>Results</b>: A total of 429 patients were discharged alive from our COVID Unit and 244 patients performed at least one follow-up visit in our outpatient clinic. Of these, 134 patients did not experience PASC, while 110 patients experienced PASC. Long-COVID patients were more frequently female (43.6% vs. 31.3%, <i>p</i> = 0.048), more frequently presented throat pain and headache at hospital admission (respectively 8.9% vs. 2.5%, <i>p</i> = 0.041 and 15.8% vs. 5%, <i>p</i> = 0.007), and were more likely to have a history of type 2 diabetes mellitus (25.5% vs. 13%, <i>p</i> =0.013). At the multivariable analysis, female gender, type 2 diabetes, and headache at admission were factors associated with PASC. All 46 patients who performed at least two different admissions in our outpatient clinic were divided in two groups: the first including the 16 patients who experienced a reduction or a resolution of symptoms related to COVID-19, the second comprising the 30 patients who experienced clinical worsening or persisting symptoms. Smoking habit was more represented among patients with stable or worsening symptoms (42.3% vs. 7.7%, <i>p</i> = 0.042); myalgias at admission were more frequent in the clinical worsening group (27.6% vs. 0%, <i>p</i>= 0.039); and a larger amount of patients who reported neuropsychiatric symptoms and respiratory symptoms were in the stable or worsening PASC symptoms group. <b>Discussion</b>: In conclusion, this study underscores the complexity of PASC, identifying female sex, Type 2 diabetes, and certain acute COVID-19 symptoms as potential predisposing factors for its development. PASC still represents a substantial public health challenge, and ongoing efforts are essential to better understand its underlying mechanisms and improve patient outcomes.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/6/1414COVID-19Long COVIDprognostic factorsPASC
spellingShingle Mariantonietta Pisaturo
Antonio Russo
Pierantonio Grimaldi
Caterina Monari
Simona Imbriani
Klodian Gjeloshi
Carmen Ricozzi
Roberta Astorri
Caterina Curatolo
Roberta Palladino
Francesco Caruso
Francesca Ambrisi
Lorenzo Onorato
Nicola Coppola
Prevalence, Evolution and Prognostic Factors of PASC in a Cohort of Patients Discharged from a COVID Unit
Biomedicines
COVID-19
Long COVID
prognostic factors
PASC
title Prevalence, Evolution and Prognostic Factors of PASC in a Cohort of Patients Discharged from a COVID Unit
title_full Prevalence, Evolution and Prognostic Factors of PASC in a Cohort of Patients Discharged from a COVID Unit
title_fullStr Prevalence, Evolution and Prognostic Factors of PASC in a Cohort of Patients Discharged from a COVID Unit
title_full_unstemmed Prevalence, Evolution and Prognostic Factors of PASC in a Cohort of Patients Discharged from a COVID Unit
title_short Prevalence, Evolution and Prognostic Factors of PASC in a Cohort of Patients Discharged from a COVID Unit
title_sort prevalence evolution and prognostic factors of pasc in a cohort of patients discharged from a covid unit
topic COVID-19
Long COVID
prognostic factors
PASC
url https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/6/1414
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