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. 2022 Nov 30;20:465. doi: 10.1186/s12916-022-02664-y

Table 3.

Odds ratios (95% CIs) of univariable associations between potential predictors and long COVID 3 months after a PCR test, overall and stratified by SARS-CoV-2 status

Potential predictor Total population (N=7139) SARS-CoV-2 negative (N=3893) SARS-CoV-2 positive (N=3246) Pinteractiona
Odds ratio (95% CIs) p value Odds ratio (95% CIs) p value Odds ratio (95% CIs) p value
SARS-CoV-2 status
 Negative Ref <0.001
 Positive 1.48 (1.33, 1.66) N/A N/A N/A
Sex
 Male Ref <0.001 Ref <0.001 Ref <0.001 0.5858
 Female 2.02 (1.78, 2.30) 2.11 (1.75, 2.54) 1.96 (1.65, 2.34)
Age (years)b
 11–13 Ref <0.001 Ref <0.001 Ref <0.001 0.2533
 14–15 1.54 (1.32, 1.80) 1.71 (1.37, 2.13) 1.36 (1.09, 1.70)
 16–17 1.73 (1.50, 1.99) 1.73 (1.42, 2.12) 1.70 (1.40, 2.07)
Index of Multiple Deprivation
 Quintile 1 (most deprived) Ref <0.001 Ref 0.034 Ref 0.004 0.149
 Quintile 2 0.99 (0.83, 1.17) 0.82 (0.64, 1.05) 1.18 (0.93, 1.49)
 Quintile 3 0.88 (0.74, 1.05) 0.79 (0.62, 1.02) 1.00 (0.78, 1.28)
 Quintile 4 0.79 (0.66, 0.94) 0.69 (0.53, 0.89) 0.90 (0.70, 1.16)
 Quintile 5 (least deprived) 0.72 (0.60, 0.86) 0.72 (0.56, 0.93) 0.72 (0.56, 0.93)
Ethnicity
 White Ref 0.055 Ref 0.146 Ref 0.131 0.417
 Asian/Asian British 0.93 (0.79, 1.09) 0.93 (0.73, 1.18) 0.90 (0.72, 1.13)
 Black/African/Caribbean 1.11 (0.83, 1.48) 1.36 (0.92, 2.01) 0.89 (0.57, 1.38)
 Mixed 1.38 (1.09, 1.76) 1.43 (1.03, 2.00) 1.36 (0.95, 1.93)
 Others 0.70 (0.43, 1.16) 1.00 (0.50, 2.00) 0.49 (0.24, 1.00)
 Preferred not to say 0.96 (0.49, 1.87) 0.59 (0.18, 1.97) 1.23 (0.54, 2.83)
Self-rated physical health
 Very good Ref <0.001 Ref <0.001 Ref <0.001 <0.001
 Good 2.06 (1.77, 2.39) 2.49 (1.98, 3.13) 1.80 (1.47, 2.20)
 Okay 3.57 (3.04, 4.20) 4.51 (3.54, 5.76) 3.00 (2.40, 3.74)
 Poor/very poor 7.60 (5.41, 10.68) 14.91 (9.32, 23.85) 3.71 (2.23, 6.19)
Self-rated mental health
 Very good Ref <0.001 Ref <0.001 Ref <0.001 0.015
 Good 2.12 (1.75, 2.56) 2.55 (1.87, 3.81) 1.92 (1.50, 2.46)
 Okay 3.91 (3.23, 4.73) 5.50 (4.06, 7.46) 3.06 (2.39, 3.93)
 Poor/very poor 12.72 (10.17, 15,91) 17.46 (12.43, 24.53) 10.54 (7.72, 14.40)
Lonelinessc
 Never Ref <0.001 Ref <0.001 Ref <0.001 0.002
 Hardly ever 1.75 (1.45, 2.11) 2.16 (1.59, 2.93) 1.54 (1.21, 1.96)
 Occasionally 3.91 (3.23, 4.73) 5.28 (3.91, 7.14) 3.30 (2.56, 4.26)
 Some of the time 4.81 (3.98, 5.80) 6.86 (5.10, 9.22) 3.82 (2.97, 4.91)
 Often/always 7.98 (6.34, 10.04) 13.41 (9.56, 18.80) 5.23 (3.75, 7.30)
Number of symptoms at testingb
 0 Ref <0.001 Ref <0.001 Ref <0.001 0.148
 1–4 0.43 (0.32, 0.57) 0.41 (0.24, 0.70) 0.37 (0.26, 0.52)
 5+ 1.88 (1.62, 2.19) 2.20 (1.55, 3.12) 1.49 (1.24, 1.79)
Mobilityd
 No problems Ref <0.001 Ref <0.001 Ref <0.001 0.024
 Some/a lot of problems 6.81 (5.42, 8.55) 8.82 (6.53, 11.91) 5.17 (3.65, 7.34)
Looking after selfd
 No problems Ref <0.001 Ref <0.001 Ref <0.001 0.205
 Some/a lot of problems 8.89 (6.92, 11.40) 10.58 (7.65, 14.62) 7.61 (5.13, 11.28)
Doing usual activitiesd
 No problems Ref <0.001 Ref <0.001 Ref <0.001 < 0.001
 Some/a lot of problems 6.52 (5.57, 7.64) 10.31 (8.26, 12.88) 4.04 (3.22, 5.08)
Having paind
 No problems Ref <0.001 Ref <0.001 Ref <0.001 <0.001
 Some/a lot of problems 9.84 (8.51, 11.38) 14.66 (11.94, 18.00) 6.65 (5.40, 8.18)
Feeling worried/sadd
 No problems Ref <0.001 Ref <0.001 Ref <0.001 0.006
 A bit 4.05 (3.56, 4.60) 5.11 (4.21, 6.21) 3.35 (2.81, 3.99)
 Very worried/sad 15.12 (12.20, 18.75) 17.54 (13.17, 23.36) 15.38 (10.90, 21.70)

aP value for interaction between potential predictor and SARS-CoV-2 status (derived in total population)

bWe show (for simplicity) univariable associations for age and number of symptoms modelled as categorical variables. In the final multivariable model, they have been modelled with linear and quadratic terms or a fractional polynomial; see the “Methods” section for details

cFrom the UCLA Loneliness scale. dFrom the EQ-5D-Y scale