Fatigue, mental health issues among most common post-COVID symptoms: MoS Health Prataprao Jadhav to Rajya Sabha

NEW DELHI: Post-Covid complications affect multiple organs and can be pulmonary, cardiovascular, haematological, neuropsychiatric, dermatological, renal, gastrointestinal or endocrinal, according to the ICMR, Minister of State for Health Prataprao Jadhav told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. According to the National Clinical Registry for COVID-19, data obtained from 31 hospitals across India, dyspnea, fatigue, and mental health issues were the most common symptoms observed at all follow-ups, Jadhav said in a written reply.

Dyspnoea, fatigue, and mental health issues were reported among 18.6 per cent, 10.5 per cent and 9.3 per cent of the 8,042 participants at the first follow-up, 30-60 days post-discharge, which reduced to 11.9 per cent, 6.6 per cent and 9 per cent, after one year in 2,192 participants, he said.

A meta-analysis of 194 studies conducted across geographical locations -- Europe (106 studies), Asia (49 studies), North and South America (31 studies), and other continents (8 studies) - demonstrated that fatigue is the most frequently reported symptom across hospitalised, non-hospitalised, and mixed population at 28.4 per cent, 34.8 per cent, and 25.2 per cent, in that order.


Amongst hospitalised patients, the five most prevalent symptoms were fatigue (28.4 per cent, 70 studies), pain/discomfort (27.9 per cent, 10 studies), impaired sleep (23.5 per cent, 34 studies), breathlessness (22.6 per cent, 70 studies), and impaired usual activity (22.3 per cent, 10 studies), Jadhav informed the RS.

"Post-COVID complications are multifactorial. Factors such as immune system dysregulation, autoimmunity, dysbiosis, microthrombi, systemic fibrosis, autonomic dysfunction or persistent CNS infection can lead to post-COVID complications," he said.

Besides fatigue, other commonly reported symptoms are malaise, dyspnea, persistent loss of smell or taste, brain fogginess, headache, cough, low-grade fever, palpitations, dizziness, depression, and muscle and joint pains, Jadhav said.

The World Health Organization reports fatigue, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, memory, concentration or sleep problems, persistent cough, chest pain, trouble speaking, muscle aches, loss of smell or taste, depression or anxiety and fever as the most common symptoms experienced during Post COVID-19 condition.

"ICMR has informed (?) that it is observed that the COVID vaccine taken before COVID-19 infection is associated with a lower incidence of post-COVID complications. Also, it is not associated with worsening of post-Covid symptoms in patients with prior COVID-19 infection and ongoing long Covid," the minister said.

Only 16 per cent of patients who died had been vaccinated, demonstrating the protective effect of anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, Jadhav stated.