Post-COVID-19 syndrome in Vale de São Lourenço, Southeast of Mato Grosso, Brazil

Abstract

Os impactos a longo prazo da pandemia de COVID-19 na saúde pública brasileira são ainda pouco conhecidos. Este estudo tem como objetivo descrever o perfil sociodemográfico e identificar sinais e sintomas persistentes por mais de três meses em 361 indivíduos recuperados de COVID-19 no Vale do São Lourenço, Mato Grosso. Adults identified as recovered by the IndicaSUS system, residing in Jaciara, Juscimeira, São Pedro da Cipa and Dom Aquino, with confirmed infection between 2020 and 2021, participated. Data collection took place between September 2021 and February 2023. Chi-square and t-test analyzes were used to verify associations between qualitative and quantitative variables. Among the persistent symptoms identified, tiredness, headache, memory loss, body aches, difficulty thinking, language difficulties and hair loss were the most common. Fatigue was associated with all clinical classifications of acute illness (p=0.001), while shortness of breath was associated with critical cases (p=0.03) and insomnia with mild and moderate cases (p=0.001 and p=0.002, respectively). Patients hospitalized for more than 40 days during the acute phase had a greater number of persistent symptoms (8 versus 6.5). Adults reported loss of muscle strength (p=0.04), weakness (p=0.04) and insomnia (p=0.03) more frequently, while elderly people associated loss of muscle strength (p=0.03), body aches (p=0.3), shortness of breath (p=0.04) and drowsiness (p=0.02). This data helps understand the challenges faced by individuals after recovering from COVID-19 and provides a foundation for understanding the long-term public health consequences of the pandemic.