Table 1.
Baseline characteristics
| Clinical characteristics | SARS-CoV-2 naïve (n = 41) |
PCS (n = 41) |
P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | |||
| Years, Mean (SD) | 41.8 (± 13.7) | 42.2 (± 12.2) | 0.89 |
| Gender | |||
| Female | 31 (75.6%) | 31 (75.6%) | 1.00 |
| BMI | |||
| kg/m2, Median (IQR) | 23.6 (± 3.5) | 24.2 (± 3.9) | 0.55 |
| RRsyst | |||
| mmHg, Median (IQR) | 120 (116–130) | 118(112–130.5) | 0.53 |
| Cardiovascular risk factors | |||
| Obesity | 8 (25.8%) | 15 (48.4%) | 0.60 |
| Nicotine abuse | 5 (16.1%) | 6 (19.4%) | 1.00 |
| Art. hypertension | 7 (22.6%) | 8 (25.8%) | 1.00 |
| DM | 0 (0.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | 1.00 |
| Hypercholesterolemia | – | 19 (61.3%) | - |
| Acute SARS-CoV-2 Infection | |||
| Severity of acute infection | |||
| 0 | – | 0 (0.0%) | – |
| 2 | – | 24 (58.5%) | – |
| 3 | – | 13 (31.7%) | - |
| 4 | – | 2 (4.9%) | – |
| 5 | – | 1 (2.4%) | – |
| 6 | – | 1 (2.4%) | – |
| Variance | – | ||
| Alpha | – | 3 (7.3%) | – |
| Delta | – | 7 (17.1%) | – |
| Omicron | – | 10 (24.4%) | – |
| Unknown | - | 21 (51.2%) | – |
| Number of vaccinations | |||
| 0 | – | 3 (7.3%) | – |
| 2 | – | 15 (36.6%) | – |
| – | - | 23 (56.1%) | – |
| PCS characteristics | |||
| PCS duration | |||
| months, Median (IQR) | – | 10.0 (7.0—18.0) | – |
| PCS severity score | |||
| Mean (SD) | – | 35.7 (9.73) | – |
| Fatigue | – | 39 (95.1%) | – |
| Exercise intolerance | – | 37 (90.2%) | – |
| Brain fog | – | 37 (90.2%) | – |
| Cumulative days of sick leave | |||
| days, Median (IQR) | – | 122.0 (4.0—291.0) | – |
| Work-loss due to PCS | – | 8 (19.5%) | – |
| Comorbidities | |||
| Hypothyroidism | – | 8 (19.5%) | – |
| Bronchial asthma | – | 6 (14.6%) | – |
| Medication | |||
| ACE2-inhibitors | – | 3 (7.3%) | – |
| ß-blockers | – | 5 (12.2%) | – |
| Psychiatric/sleeping medication | – | 8 (19.5%) | – |
| L-Thyroxin | – | 8 (19.5%) | – |
| Asthma inhaler | – | 6 (14.6%) | – |
| Lab parameters | |||
| Leukocytes | |||
| G/L, Mean (SD) | 5.3 (4.7–6.3) | 6.2 (5.3–7.4) | 0.027* |
| Hb | |||
| mg/dl, Median (IQR) | 14.9(13.7 – 15.3) | 14.1 (13.5–14.4) | 0.095 |
P-values are shown for statistical tests comparing PCS patients (n = 41) with SARS-CoV-2 infection naive participants (n = 41); t-test was used for normally distributed variables, the χ2 test for categorical variables, the Wilcoxon rank sum test for variables with a skewed distribution, and Fisher’s exact test for binary variables. BMI, body mass index; RRsyst, systolic blood pressure; Art., arterial; DM, diabetes mellitus I or II; obesity is defined as BMI > 25 kg/m2; hypercholesterolemia is defined as cholesterol > 200 mg/dl. Severity of acute infection was assessed using the WHO clinical progression scale [44]. PCS severity score was assessed using the score published by Bahmer et al. [35]