Persistent Symptoms among Frontline Health Workers Post-Acute COVID-19 Infection

  1. Constance Wose Kinge
  2. Susan Hanekom
  3. Alison Lupton-Smith
  4. Francis Akpan
  5. Eula Mothibi
  6. Thapelo Maotoe
  7. Floyd Lebatie
  8. Pappie Majuba
  9. Ian Sanne
  10. Charles Chasela

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Abstract

Growing evidence shows that a significant number of patients with COVID-19 experience persistent symptoms, also known as long COVID-19. We sought to identify persistent symptoms of COVID-19 in frontline workers at Right to Care South Africa, who are past the acute phase of illness, using a cross-sectional survey. We analysed data from 207 eligible COVID-19 positive frontline workers who participated in a two-month post-COVID-19 online self-administered survey. The survey response rate was 30%; of the 62 respondents with a median age of 33.5 years (IQR= 30–44 years), 47 (76%) were females. The majority (n = 55; 88.7%) self-isolated and 7 (11.3%) were admitted to hospital at the time of diagnosis. The most common comorbid condition reported was hypertension, particularly among workers aged 45–55 years. The most reported persistent symptoms were characterised by fatigue, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, chest pain, muscle pain, and brain fog. Long COVID-19 is a serious phenomenon, of which much is still unknown, including its causes, how common it is especially in non-hospitalised healthcare workers, and how to treat it. Given the rise in COVID-19 cases, the prevalence of long COVID-19 is likely to be substantial; thus, the need for rehabilitation programs targeted at each persistent COVID-19 symptom is critical.

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  1. Version published to 10.3390/ijerph19105933
  2. ScreenIT

    SciScore for 10.1101/2021.12.03.21267225: (What is this?)

    Please note, not all rigor criteria are appropriate for all manuscripts.

    Table 1: Rigor

    EthicsIRB: The survey was reviewed and approved by Right to Care COVID-19 Business Continuity Committee and the Health Research Ethics Committee (HREC) of Stellenbosch University (SU), South Africa (HEA-2020-19255).
    Consent: Data Collection: The survey was captured on REDCap[8] platform with an information page at the beginning to provide for respondents’ consent before they completed the survey.
    Sex as a biological variablenot detected.
    Randomizationnot detected.
    Blindingnot detected.
    Power Analysisnot detected.

    Table 2: Resources

    Software and Algorithms
    SentencesResources
    A total of 129 SMS/WhatsApp messages with survey link were sent out to employees through RTC eHealth Solutions and Innovation team and 73 were sent out via email directly through REDCap.
    REDCap
    suggested: (REDCap, RRID:SCR_003445)

    Results from OddPub: We did not detect open data. We also did not detect open code. Researchers are encouraged to share open data when possible (see Nature blog).

    Results from LimitationRecognizer: We detected the following sentences addressing limitations in the study:
    There are a couple of limitations to this survey. Firstly, the small sample of positives for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic test result does not provide enough statistical power to determine risk factors for Long COVID. However, the survey was able to answer the main survey question. Our study has shown the impact on physical and mental health that COVID-19 has among infected individuals even in the absence of active SARS-CoV-2 virus. Our population was mostly health workers who are in the frontline dealing with the pandemic above other existing infections such as TB and HIV. As such, the impact of COVID even among those that are beyond the active phase of infection could have direct impact in health service delivery. Given the rise in cases of COVID-19 in South Africa and the world at large, the prevalence of Long COVID is likely to be substantial and therefore need for rehabilitation programs targeted at each of the persistent (Long) COVID symptoms is critical. It highlights the importance of slowing the spread of COVID-19 through validated public health measures and vaccinations and continued research into Long COVID to find rehabilitation/treatment options. While our study numbers were small, future work should include detailed physical and mental examination to guide patient management.

    Results from TrialIdentifier: No clinical trial numbers were referenced.

    Results from Barzooka: We did not find any issues relating to the usage of bar graphs.

    Results from JetFighter: We did not find any issues relating to colormaps.

    Results from rtransparent:
    • Thank you for including a conflict of interest statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • Thank you for including a funding statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • No protocol registration statement was detected.

    Results from scite Reference Check: We found no unreliable references.

    About SciScore

    SciScore is an automated tool that is designed to assist expert reviewers by finding and presenting formulaic information scattered throughout a paper in a standard, easy to digest format. SciScore checks for the presence and correctness of RRIDs (research resource identifiers), and for rigor criteria such as sex and investigator blinding. For details on the theoretical underpinning of rigor criteria and the tools shown here, including references cited, please follow this link.

  3. Version published to 10.1101/2021.12.03.21267225 on medRxiv