IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v13y2022i1d10.1038_s41467-022-31897-x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A nationwide questionnaire study of post-acute symptoms and health problems after SARS-CoV-2 infection in Denmark

Author

Listed:
  • Anna Irene Vedel Sørensen

    (Statens Serum Institut)

  • Lampros Spiliopoulos

    (Statens Serum Institut)

  • Peter Bager

    (Statens Serum Institut
    Statens Serum Institut)

  • Nete Munk Nielsen

    (Statens Serum Institut
    Hospital of Southern Jutland, University of Southern Denmark)

  • Jørgen Vinsløv Hansen

    (Statens Serum Institut)

  • Anders Koch

    (Statens Serum Institut
    Rigshospitalet University Hospital
    Global Health Section, University of Copenhagen)

  • Inger Kristine Meder

    (Statens Serum Institut)

  • Steen Ethelberg

    (Statens Serum Institut
    Global Health Section, University of Copenhagen)

  • Anders Hviid

    (Statens Serum Institut
    University of Copenhagen)

Abstract

A considerable number of individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 continue to experience symptoms after the acute phase. Here, we report findings from a nationwide questionnaire study in Denmark including 61,002 RT-PCR confirmed SARS-CoV-2 cases and 91,878 test-negative controls aged 15-years or older. Six to twelve months after the test, the risks of 18 out of 21 symptoms were elevated among test-positives. The largest adjusted risk differences (RD) were observed for dysosmia (RD = 10.92%, 95% CI 10.68–11.21%), dysgeusia (RD = 8.68%, 95% CI 8.43–8.93%), fatigue/exhaustion (RD = 8.43%, 95%CI 8.14–8.74%), dyspnea (RD = 4.87%, 95% CI 4.65–5.09%) and reduced strength in arms/legs (RD = 4.68%, 95% CI 4.45–4.89%). During the period from the test and until completion of the questionnaire, new diagnoses of anxiety (RD = 1.15%, 95% CI 0.95–1.34%) or depression (RD = 1.00%, 95% CI 0.81–1.19%) were also more common among test-positives. Even in a population where the majority of test-positives were not hospitalized, a considerable proportion experiences symptoms up to 12 months after infection. Being female or middle-aged increases risks.

Suggested Citation

  • Anna Irene Vedel Sørensen & Lampros Spiliopoulos & Peter Bager & Nete Munk Nielsen & Jørgen Vinsløv Hansen & Anders Koch & Inger Kristine Meder & Steen Ethelberg & Anders Hviid, 2022. "A nationwide questionnaire study of post-acute symptoms and health problems after SARS-CoV-2 infection in Denmark," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-31897-x
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31897-x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-31897-x
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-022-31897-x?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Michael Marshall, 2020. "The lasting misery of coronavirus long-haulers," Nature, Nature, vol. 585(7825), pages 339-341, September.
    2. Ziyad Al-Aly & Yan Xie & Benjamin Bowe, 2021. "High-dimensional characterization of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19," Nature, Nature, vol. 594(7862), pages 259-264, June.
    3. Matthew Whitaker & Joshua Elliott & Marc Chadeau-Hyam & Steven Riley & Ara Darzi & Graham Cooke & Helen Ward & Paul Elliott, 2022. "Persistent COVID-19 symptoms in a community study of 606,434 people in England," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. César Fernández-de-las-Peñas & Domingo Palacios-Ceña & Víctor Gómez-Mayordomo & María L. Cuadrado & Lidiane L. Florencio, 2021. "Defining Post-COVID Symptoms (Post-Acute COVID, Long COVID, Persistent Post-COVID): An Integrative Classification," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-9, March.
    2. Ainur T. Tauekelova & Zhanar Kalila & Akerke Bakhtiyar & Zarina Sautbayeva & Polina Len & Aliya Sailybayeva & Sadyk Khamitov & Nazira Kadroldinova & Natasha S. Barteneva & Makhabbat S. Bekbossynova, 2023. "Association of Lung Fibrotic Changes and Cardiological Dysfunction with Comorbidities in Long COVID-19 Cohort," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-18, January.
    3. Vanessa Bertuzzi & Michelle Semonella & Gianluca Castelnuovo & Gerhard Andersson & Giada Pietrabissa, 2022. "Synthesizing Stakeholders Perspectives on Online Psychological Interventions to Improve the Mental Health of the Italian Population during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Online Survey Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-13, June.
    4. Miguel Sánchez-Romero, 2022. "Assessing the generational impact of COVID-19 using National Transfer Accounts (NTAs)," Vienna Yearbook of Population Research, Vienna Institute of Demography (VID) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna, vol. 20(1), pages 107-141.
    5. Michal Matuszewski & Yurii Reznikov & Michal Pruc & Frank W. Peacock & Alla Navolokina & Raúl Júarez-Vela & Lukasz Jankowski & Zubaid Rafique & Lukasz Szarpak, 2022. "Prognostic Performance of Cystatin C in COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-10, November.
    6. Fischer, Kai & Reade, J. James & Schmal, W. Benedikt, 2022. "What cannot be cured must be endured: The long-lasting effect of a COVID-19 infection on workplace productivity," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    7. Evan Xu & Yan Xie & Ziyad Al-Aly, 2023. "Long-term gastrointestinal outcomes of COVID-19," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    8. Chengxi Zang & Yongkang Zhang & Jie Xu & Jiang Bian & Dmitry Morozyuk & Edward J. Schenck & Dhruv Khullar & Anna S. Nordvig & Elizabeth A. Shenkman & Russell L. Rothman & Jason P. Block & Kristin Lyma, 2023. "Data-driven analysis to understand long COVID using electronic health records from the RECOVER initiative," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-14, December.
    9. Fu, Hongqiao & Cheng, Terence C. & Zhan, Jiajia & Xu, Duo & Yip, Winnie, 2024. "Dynamic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the demand for telemedicine services: Evidence from China," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 531-557.
    10. Tianchu Lyu & Nicole Hair & Nicholas Yell & Zhenlong Li & Shan Qiao & Chen Liang & Xiaoming Li, 2021. "Temporal Geospatial Analysis of COVID-19 Pre-Infection Determinants of Risk in South Carolina," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-18, September.
    11. Yan Xie & Benjamin Bowe & Ziyad Al-Aly, 2021. "Burdens of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 by severity of acute infection, demographics and health status," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-12, December.
    12. Carlos M. Pérez-Lara & Doris D. Lara-Malca & Luz A. Baltodano-Nontol & Jessica E. Vicuña-Villacorta & Liliana M. Haro-León & Julio A. Rodríguez-Azabache, 2024. "Advances in Studies on Psychological Symptoms in Patients Surviving Covid-19: A Bibliometric Analysis," Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Richtmann Publishing Ltd, vol. 13, January.
    13. Husam M. Salah & Marat Fudim & Shawn T. O’Neil & Amin Manna & Christopher G. Chute & Melissa C. Caughey, 2022. "Post-recovery COVID-19 and incident heart failure in the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C) study," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-6, December.
    14. Emily E. Chasco & Kimberly Dukes & DeShauna Jones & Alejandro P. Comellas & Richard M. Hoffman & Alpana Garg, 2022. "Brain Fog and Fatigue following COVID-19 Infection: An Exploratory Study of Patient Experiences of Long COVID," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-12, November.
    15. Wangzi Xu & Yu Cao & Lin Wu, 2023. "No Causal Effects Detected in COVID-19 and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Two Sample Mendelian Randomization Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-13, January.
    16. Alicja Mińko & Agnieszka Turoń-Skrzypińska & Aleksandra Rył & Natalia Tomska & Zuzanna Bereda & Iwona Rotter, 2022. "Searching for Factors Influencing the Severity of the Symptoms of Long COVID," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-11, June.
    17. Figueiredo, Bernardo & Sheahan, Jacob & Luo, Shiqi & Bird, Stephen & Wong Lit Wan, Dawn & Xenos, Sophia & Itsiopoulos, Catherine & Jessup, Rebecca & Zheng, Zhen, 2024. "Journey mapping long COVID: Agency and social support for long-hauling," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 340(C).
    18. Francesco Fisicaro & Mario Di Napoli & Aldo Liberto & Martina Fanella & Flavio Di Stasio & Manuela Pennisi & Rita Bella & Giuseppe Lanza & Gelsomina Mansueto, 2021. "Neurological Sequelae in Patients with COVID-19: A Histopathological Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-16, February.
    19. Yunhe Wang & Binbin Su & Marta Alcalde-Herraiz & Nicola L. Barclay & Yaohua Tian & Chunxiao Li & Nicholas J. Wareham & Roger Paredes & Junqing Xie & Daniel Prieto-Alhambra, 2024. "Modifiable lifestyle factors and the risk of post-COVID-19 multisystem sequelae, hospitalization, and death," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    20. Igor Costa de Lima & Daniel Carvalho de Menezes & Juliana Hiromi Emin Uesugi & Cléa Nazaré Carneiro Bichara & Pedro Fernando da Costa Vasconcelos & Juarez Antônio Simões Quaresma & Luiz Fábio Magno Fa, 2023. "Liver Function in Patients with Long-Term Coronavirus Disease 2019 of up to 20 Months: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(7), pages 1-11, March.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-31897-x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.