Table 1.
Main Characteristics of Patients According to Persistent COVID-19–Related Symptoms
| Characteristics | Total Sample (n = 165) | Nonpersistent Symptoms (n = 28) | Persistent Symptoms (n = 137) | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and clinical characteristics | ||||
| Age (y) | 73.1 ± 6.2 | 73.7 ± 5.6 | 73.0 ± 6.4 | .57 |
| Sex (women) | 63 (38.2) | 10 (35.7) | 53 (38.7) | .76 |
| Education (y) | 12.3 ± 4.9 | 13.3 ± 5.3 | 12.1 ± 4.9 | .31 |
| Active smoking | 71 (43.0) | 14 (50.0) | 57 (41.6) | .53 |
| Flu vaccination | 77 (46.7) | 16 (57.4) | 61 (44.5) | .29 |
| Hypertension | 106 (64.2) | 19 (67.9) | 87 (63.5) | .82 |
| Heart failure | 15 (9.1) | 1 (3.6) | 14 (10.2) | .47 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 26 (15.8) | 4 (14.3) | 22 (16.1) | 1.00 |
| Renal failure | 17 (10.3) | 5 (17.9) | 12 (8.8) | .17 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | 36 (21.8) | 3 (10.7) | 33 (24.1) | .13 |
| Body mass index (kg/m2) | 26.3 ± 4.1 | 25.4 ± 4.5 | 26.4 ± 4.1 | .25 |
| Mini Mental State Examination score | 28.2 ± 1.5 | 27.9 ± 1.3 | 28.3 ± 1.5 | .37 |
| Probable sarcopenia∗ | 62 (37.6) | 7 (25) | 55 (40.1) | .19 |
| Symptoms experienced during acute COVID-19 | ||||
| Fatigue | 116 (70.3) | 12 (42.9) | 104 (75.9) | <.001 |
| Cough | 109 (66.1) | 12 (42.9) | 97 (70.8) | <.01 |
| Dyspnea | 96 (58.2) | 8 (26.6) | 88 (64.2) | <.001 |
| Loss of appetite | 76 (46.1) | 13 (46.4) | 63 (46.0) | 1.00 |
| Dysgeusia | 62 (37.6) | 9 (32.1) | 53 (38.7) | .66 |
| Myalgia | 54 (32.7) | 7 (25.0) | 47 (34.3) | .38 |
| Joint pain | 52 (31.5) | 6 (21.4) | 46 (33.6) | .26 |
| Smell disorders | 51 (30.9) | 5 (17.9) | 46 (33.6) | .11 |
| Chest pain | 45 (27.3) | 4 (14.3) | 41 (29.9) | .10 |
| Rhinitis | 34 (20.6) | 7 (25.0) | 27 (19.7) | .60 |
| Diarrhea | 38 (23.0) | 6 (21.4) | 32 (23.4) | 1.00 |
| Headache | 30 (18.2) | 4 (14.3) | 26 (19.0) | .78 |
| Sore throat | 27 (16.4) | 4 (14.3) | 23 (16.8) | 1.00 |
| Red eyes | 25 (15.2) | 1 (3.6) | 24 (17.5) | .08 |
| Number of symptoms | 5.0 ± 3.0 | 3.3 ± 2.0 | 5.3 ± 3.0 | <.001 |
Data are shown as mean ± SD for age, education, body mass index, total number of symptoms, and Mini Mental State Examination score; absolute numbers (percentages) are reported for all other variables.
∗
Probable sarcopenia was defined as a handgrip strength lower than 27 kg in men and 16 kg in women.