Fatigue and Cognitive Dysfunction Are Associated with Occupational Status in Post-COVID Syndrome

Cristina Delgado-Alonso, Constanza Cuevas, Silvia Oliver-Mas, María Díez-Cirarda (), Alfonso Delgado-Álvarez, María José Gil-Moreno, Jorge Matías-Guiu and Jordi A. Matias-Guiu ()
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Cristina Delgado-Alonso: Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, San Carlos Health Research Institute (IdISCC), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Constanza Cuevas: Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, San Carlos Health Research Institute (IdISCC), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Silvia Oliver-Mas: Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, San Carlos Health Research Institute (IdISCC), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
María Díez-Cirarda: Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, San Carlos Health Research Institute (IdISCC), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Alfonso Delgado-Álvarez: Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, San Carlos Health Research Institute (IdISCC), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
María José Gil-Moreno: Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, San Carlos Health Research Institute (IdISCC), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Jorge Matías-Guiu: Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, San Carlos Health Research Institute (IdISCC), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Jordi A. Matias-Guiu: Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, San Carlos Health Research Institute (IdISCC), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 20, 1-9

Abstract: Post-COVID syndrome (PCS) is a medical condition characterized by the persistence of a wide range of symptoms after acute infection by SARS-CoV-2. The work capacity consequences of this disorder have scarcely been studied. We aimed to analyze the factors associated with occupational status in patients with PCS. This cross-sectional study involved 77 patients with PCS on active work before SARS-CoV-2 infection. Patients were evaluated 20.71 ± 6.50 months after clinical onset. We conducted a survey on occupational activity and cognitive and clinical symptoms. The association between occupational activity and fatigue, depression, anxiety, sleep quality, and cognitive testing was analyzed. Thirty-eight (49.4%) patients were working, and thirty-nine (50.6%) patients were not. Of those not working at the moment of the assessment, 36 (92.3%) patients were on sick leave. In 63 patients (81.8% of the sample), sick leave was needed at some point due to PCS. The mean duration of sick leave was 12.07 ± 8.07 months. According to the patient’s perspective, the most disabling symptoms were cognitive complaints (46.8%) and fatigue (31.2%). Not working at the moment of the assessment was associated with higher levels of fatigue and lower cognitive performance in the Stroop test. No association was found between occupational status with depression and anxiety questionnaires. Our study found an influence of PCS on work capacity. Fatigue and cognitive issues were the most frequent symptoms associated with loss of work capacity.

Keywords: COVID-19; post-COVID syndrome; occupational status; fatigue; cognition; depression (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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