Publication:

Incidence and probable risk factors of post COVID syndrome among COVID-19 patients in urban population of North Kerala: a 6 months cohort study

Background Post-COVID condition is an important health burden all over world. This study was conducted to determine incidence, symptoms and risk factors of post COVID syndrome.

Methods Cohort study was done on COVID-19 patients of Mukkam Municipality tested from Mukkam Community Health Centre. Baseline data was collected using pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire by direct interview method after obtaining their consent. Subjects were followed up weekly for 6 months to know occurrence of post COVID syndrome, its course and outcome if any. Incidence and relative risk for age, gender, COVID-19 vaccination status, comorbidities and severity of COVID-19 illness were assessed for post COVID syndrome. Chi-square test was used for statistical association between severity of COVID-19 and occurrence of post COVID syndrome.

Results Among 800 persons tested for COVID-19, 28.75% were tested positive. Incidence of post COVID syndrome among study subjects was 42.2%. Relative risk for post COVID was high among participants having age more than 60 years (RR-1.76), females (RR-1.07), with comorbidities like diabetes (RR-1.28), hypertension (RR-1.06) and cardiac illness (RR-1.05), unvaccinated status (RR-1.21) and in severe COVID-19 infection (1.20). There is a significant statistical association between occurrence of post COVID syndrome and degree of severity of COVID-19 disease (p=0.0046).

Conclusions Post-COVID syndrome was found more often in older people who had severe COVID-19 illness, also incidence increases with severe COVID-19 illness.