Most Common Long COVID Physical Symptoms in Working Age Adults Who Experienced Mild COVID-19 Infection: A Scoping Review
Background: One-third of patients who recover from COVID-19 present with long COVID. Their symptoms are broad, affecting their physical functioning and, ultimately, their quality of life. Many of those individuals who develop long COVID, possibly from a mild COVID-19 infection, are in the 18–65 age...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Healthcare |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/10/12/2577 |
| _version_ | 1797457443409625088 |
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| author | Zoe Mass Kokolevich Melissa Crowe Diana Mendez Erik Biros Jacqueline Elise Reznik |
| author_facet | Zoe Mass Kokolevich Melissa Crowe Diana Mendez Erik Biros Jacqueline Elise Reznik |
| author_sort | Zoe Mass Kokolevich |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: One-third of patients who recover from COVID-19 present with long COVID. Their symptoms are broad, affecting their physical functioning and, ultimately, their quality of life. Many of those individuals who develop long COVID, possibly from a mild COVID-19 infection, are in the 18–65 age group. This prolongation of malaise directly influences national workforce economies. Objectives: To summarise the commonly reported physical symptoms of long COVID in order to inform potential adjustments in healthcare for the employable population. Methods: The Embase, CINAHL, Medline, SCOPUS, and WHO COVID-19 databases were searched. The study selection process was based on the PRISMA guidelines. The extracted data were synthesised and presented narratively. Results: 7403 studies were accessed, comprising 60 cohort studies and 10 case series/studies, representing 289,213 patients who met our criteria. The most frequently reported physical symptoms were fatigue (92%), shortness of breath (SOB) (81.8%), muscle pain (43.6%), and joint pain (34.5%). Conclusions: The range of reported physical symptoms was broad and varied; the main ones being fatigue, breathlessness/SOB, and pain. Similarities observed between long COVID and other post-acute infection syndromes may help formulate protocols to manage and promote recovery for long COVID patients. Inconsistencies were evident, particularly with a lack of adherence to the standardised definitions of long COVID. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:21:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0005cb67b0e74ad68f5a3527a5ccdba1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9032 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:21:16Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Healthcare |
| spelling | doaj.art-0005cb67b0e74ad68f5a3527a5ccdba12023-11-24T15:12:27ZengMDPI AGHealthcare2227-90322022-12-011012257710.3390/healthcare10122577Most Common Long COVID Physical Symptoms in Working Age Adults Who Experienced Mild COVID-19 Infection: A Scoping ReviewZoe Mass Kokolevich0Melissa Crowe1Diana Mendez2Erik Biros3Jacqueline Elise Reznik4Cohort Doctoral Studies Program, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, AustraliaCohort Doctoral Studies Program, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, AustraliaCohort Doctoral Studies Program, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine & Subject Coordinator, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, AustraliaCollege of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, AustraliaCohort Doctoral Studies Program, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, AustraliaBackground: One-third of patients who recover from COVID-19 present with long COVID. Their symptoms are broad, affecting their physical functioning and, ultimately, their quality of life. Many of those individuals who develop long COVID, possibly from a mild COVID-19 infection, are in the 18–65 age group. This prolongation of malaise directly influences national workforce economies. Objectives: To summarise the commonly reported physical symptoms of long COVID in order to inform potential adjustments in healthcare for the employable population. Methods: The Embase, CINAHL, Medline, SCOPUS, and WHO COVID-19 databases were searched. The study selection process was based on the PRISMA guidelines. The extracted data were synthesised and presented narratively. Results: 7403 studies were accessed, comprising 60 cohort studies and 10 case series/studies, representing 289,213 patients who met our criteria. The most frequently reported physical symptoms were fatigue (92%), shortness of breath (SOB) (81.8%), muscle pain (43.6%), and joint pain (34.5%). Conclusions: The range of reported physical symptoms was broad and varied; the main ones being fatigue, breathlessness/SOB, and pain. Similarities observed between long COVID and other post-acute infection syndromes may help formulate protocols to manage and promote recovery for long COVID patients. Inconsistencies were evident, particularly with a lack of adherence to the standardised definitions of long COVID.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/10/12/2577long COVIDphysical symptomsmild COVID-19adults |
| spellingShingle | Zoe Mass Kokolevich Melissa Crowe Diana Mendez Erik Biros Jacqueline Elise Reznik Most Common Long COVID Physical Symptoms in Working Age Adults Who Experienced Mild COVID-19 Infection: A Scoping Review Healthcare long COVID physical symptoms mild COVID-19 adults |
| title | Most Common Long COVID Physical Symptoms in Working Age Adults Who Experienced Mild COVID-19 Infection: A Scoping Review |
| title_full | Most Common Long COVID Physical Symptoms in Working Age Adults Who Experienced Mild COVID-19 Infection: A Scoping Review |
| title_fullStr | Most Common Long COVID Physical Symptoms in Working Age Adults Who Experienced Mild COVID-19 Infection: A Scoping Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Most Common Long COVID Physical Symptoms in Working Age Adults Who Experienced Mild COVID-19 Infection: A Scoping Review |
| title_short | Most Common Long COVID Physical Symptoms in Working Age Adults Who Experienced Mild COVID-19 Infection: A Scoping Review |
| title_sort | most common long covid physical symptoms in working age adults who experienced mild covid 19 infection a scoping review |
| topic | long COVID physical symptoms mild COVID-19 adults |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/10/12/2577 |
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