Fatigue is a common symptom in those presenting with symptomatic COVID-19 infection. However, it is unknown if COVID-19 results in persistent fatigue in those recovered from acute infection. We examined the prevalence of fatigue in individuals recovered from the acute phase of COVID-19 illness using the Chalder Fatigue Score (CFQ-11). We further examined potential predictors of fatigue following COVID-19 infection, evaluating indicators of COVID-19 severity, markers of peripheral immune activation and circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines. Of 128 participants (49.5 ± 15 years; 54% female), more than half reported persistent fatigue (67/128; 52.3%) at median of 10 weeks after initial COVID-19 symptoms. There was no association between COVID-19 severity (need for inpatient admission, supplemental oxygen or critical care) and fatigue following COVID-19. Additionally, there was no association between routine laboratory markers of inflammation and cell turnover (leukocyte, neutrophil or lymphocyte counts, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, lactate dehydrogenase, C-reactive protein) or pro-inflammatory molecules (IL-6 or sCD25) and fatigue post COVID-19. Female gender and those with a pre-existing diagnosis of depression/anxiety were over-represented in those with fatigue. Our findings demonstrate a significant burden of post-viral fatigue in individuals with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection after the acute phase of COVID-19 illness. This study highlights the importance of assessing those recovering from COVID-19 for symptoms of severe fatigue, irrespective of severity of initial illness, and may identify a group worthy of further study and early intervention.
【초록키워드】 COVID-19, Inflammation, Cytokines, Critical care, fatigue, IL-6, SARS-COV-2 infection, severity, neutrophil, COVID-19 severity, Diagnosis, Gender, C-reactive protein, oxygen, Intervention, Symptom, lactate dehydrogenase, Laboratory, Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, Prevalence, lymphocyte, Post-viral fatigue, COVID-19 infection, symptomatic, acute infection, female, pro-inflammatory cytokines, predictor, COVID-19 symptoms, association, marker, Lactate, (leukocyte, leukocyte, supplemental oxygen, acute phase, individual, female gender, COVID-19 illness, participant, cell turnover, Chalder Fatigue Score, circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines, inpatient admission, lymphocyte counts, peripheral immune activation, pro-inflammatory molecules, severe fatigue, CFQ-11, highlight, initial, identify, examined, reported, median, presenting, pro-inflammatory molecule, recovering from COVID-19, 【제목키워드】 fatigue, severity, Infection, persistent, independent, initial,