Characteristics of Long COVID Symptoms of People Affected by COVID-19 living at Dhaka Division, Bangladesh
Article Information
Tamzid Hossain1, Mohammad Anwar Hossain1,2*, Farjana Sharmin1, Md Ershad Ali2, Md. Shafiqul Islam1, Kulsum Akter1, Shahid Afridi3, Amina Akter1, Luthfor Rahman1, Rubaya Sultana4
1Department of Physiotherapy, Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralyzed (CRP), Bangladesh
2Department of Physiotherapy, Bangladesh Health Professions Institute (BHPI), CRP, Bangladesh
3Department of Physiotherapy, SAIC College of Medical Science and Technology (SCMST), Dhaka, Bangladesh
4Department of Development Studies, Islamic University, Kushtia, Bangladesh
*Corresponding Author: Mohammad Anwar Hossain, Department of Physiotherapy, Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralyzed (CRP), Bangladesh.
Received: 12 August 2024; Accepted: 23 August 2024; Published: 30 August 2024
Citation:
Tamzid Hossain, Mohammad Anwar Hossain, Farjana Sharmin, Md Ershad Ali, Md. Shafiqul Islam, Kulsum Akter, Shahid Afridi, Amina Akter, Luthfor Rahman, Rubaya Sultana. Characteristics of Long COVID Symptoms of People Affected by COVID-19 living at Dhaka Division, Bangladesh. Journal of Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health. 8 (2024): 135-140.
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Background: The objective of this study was to identify the Characteristics of long COVID symptom and explore the relation among long COVID symptoms and socio demographic variables and explore the level of impact on people’s life due to long COVID symptoms.
Method: A prospective survey was undertaken of cross-sectional study to confirmed people living with and affected by long COVID (aged 18– 87 years). 294 participants were recruited from across Dhaka Division, Bangladesh. All participants had a previously confirmed positive COVID-19 diagnosis and passes at least 12 weeks are reported persistent symptoms and difficulties in performing daily activities. Participants who consented were contacted by face-to-face interview. MBPI and MBFI scale were used to measure the severity of pain and fatigue.
Result: Among 294 participants, the prevalence of long COVID symptoms at 12 weeks was 15.6%. Association in between gender and modified brief fatigue inventory are noticed. Female are more probability to effected than male to fatigue. Also, association in between comorbidities and modified brief pain inventory are noticed. Who has more co-morbidities, he/ she is riskier to affected by long COVID pain symptom.
Conclusion: In general, from this study can be concluded that the current understanding of long COVID, a relatively new and puzzling condition that may affect COVID-19 survivors, regardless of initial disease severity or age. In this study, the prevalence of long COVID symptoms was describes in this study. Also describes the characteristics of the symptom and association with age, sex and co-morbidities.
Keywords
COVID-19; Long COVID; Post-COVID-19 syndrome; Characteristics; Symptom; MBPI; MBFI
COVID-19 articles; Long COVID articles; Post-COVID-19 syndrome articles; Characteristics articles; Symptom articles; MBPI articles; MBFI articles
Article Details
1. Introduction
Corona virus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the Sars Cov-2 virus. It was first diagnosed in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. The lack of pre-virus immunity had resulted in an exponential growth in infected people globally, making the pandemic one of the most serious health threats humanity had faced in the previous century [1]. In March 2020, the coronavirus was discovered to have spread to Bangladesh. The country's Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control, and Research (IEDCR) reported the first three cases on March 8, 2020 [2]. Since then, the pandemic had spread over the entire country, with the number of persons affected steadily increasing day by day. A part of Dhaka division that connects the Dhaka-Aricha (N5) National and Prominent Highway where the first coronavirus case was confirmed on April 14, 2020 [3].
Research reveals the creation of a new illness termed as 'long COVID/Post COVID-19 syndrome,' which describes a wide range of symptoms that linger after a COVID-19 infection has been identified [4]. NICE has issued new guidance that defines post-COVID-19 syndrome as signs and symptoms that appear during or after a COVID-19 infection and last for more than 12 weeks and cannot be explained by another diagnosis. According to the case report, these symptoms might impact any system in the body and fluctuate over time. The term 'long COVID-19' is used to describe both symptomatic COVID-19 (from 4 to 12 weeks) and post-COVID-19 syndrome individuals (12 weeks or more) [5]. Between 10% and 20% of COVID-19 patients with symptomatic acute COVID-19 will progress to a persistence phase of clinical manifestations lasting more than one month [6], with chronic symptoms such as fatigue, post-exertional malaise, dyspnea, headache, and many other neurocognitive conditions such as brain fog, inability to perform daily physical tasks [7].
2. Materials and Method
A cross-sectional descriptive research was performed using structured questionnaires with those who tested positive for COVID-19. This study design was ideal for determining the objectives. Data were collected from Dhaka Division, Bangladesh. Sample were selected using convenience sample technique to interview the study population considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria. For this research, 294 people served as the sample size. All of the COVID-19 patients who were chosen for this study and met the inclusion criteria. In this study, the study population were COVID-19 survivors in Dhaka division, Bangladesh after diagnosis COVID-19 on Rt-pcr test and have ongoing symptoms. Data collection procedure were included by face to face with structured questionnaire interview using a closed-ended question. After data was collected, Data were analyzed with the software named Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 22.0 and Microsoft Excel 2019. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were used to determine the final sample. patients with laboratory confirmed COVID-19 and passes 12 weeks after confirmation at Dhaka city, Bangladesh were eligible for participation [8]. Age- 15-85 years and less than 18 years children are included with the written concern of parents to co relate symptom severity with children. The study complied with all applicable ethical guidelines and World Health Organization (WHO) standards. All participants were made aware of their right to discontinue involvement in the study at any moment the results of this research will aid in determining the prevalence of long COVID symptoms and the modified Brief Pain Inventory Scale and the modified brief fatigue inventory scale were used to find out association between sociodemographic variables by performing fisher exact test.
3. Result
In thus Study 294 participants were taken to determine the characteristics of long COVID-19 Symptoms after diagnosis of people living at Dhaka Division, Bangladesh. Among them from whom data were collected the lowest age was 15 and highest age was more than 85 years. Among all participants 60 .2% (n=177) were Male and 39.8 % (n=117) were female in this study. About 34.7% (n=102) participants were living in rural, 54.8%(n=161) were living in semi urban area and 10.5% (n=31) participants were living in urban area (Table-1).
Variable |
N |
% |
|
Age |
18 or less then 18 |
15 |
5.1 |
19 to 27 |
64 |
21.8 |
|
28 to 36 |
87 |
29.6 |
|
37 to 45 |
49 |
16.7 |
|
46 to 54 |
34 |
11.6 |
|
55 to 63 |
35 |
11.9 |
|
64 or more then 64 |
10 |
3.4 |
|
Gender Of the participants |
Male |
177 |
60.2 |
female |
117 |
39.8 |
|
Educational status of the Participants |
No formal education |
6 |
2 |
primary education |
50 |
17 |
|
secondary education |
63 |
21.4 |
|
higher secondary education |
98 |
33.3 |
|
bachelor or above |
77 |
26.2 |
|
Living area |
Rural |
102 |
34.7 |
semi urban |
161 |
54.8 |
|
urban |
31 |
10.5 |
Table 1: Socio-Demographical data of all Participants.
Among 294 participants about 30.30% participants has at least one Co-morbidity and other 69.70% participants had no Co-morbidity. Among the positive Co-morbidity participants, 7 participants had heart disease,40 participants had high blood pressure, 11 participants had lung disease, 38 participants had diabetes, 1 participant had anaemia, 1 participant had depression, 44 participants had osteoarthritis, 71 participants had backpain, and 1 participant had rheumatoid arthritis. (Figure-1).
Among the 294 COVID-19 diagnosis patients 15.60% patients has at least one symptom after passes at least 12 weeks from the date of diagnosis. (Figure-2).
Among those long COVID patients 2.20 % had Cough, 69.60% had Fatigue, 10.9% had Headache, 15.2% had Shortness of breathing, 8.7 % had Anorexia, 2.2% had Dizziness, 13 % had anosmia, 41.30% had Body pain and 15.20% had other symptoms. (Figure-3).
In Fisher exact test association in between Age group and Modified Brief Pain Inventory Questionnaire showing that their p value higher than 0.05. So, all are insignificant. Also, association in between Age group and Modified Brief fatigue Inventory Questionnaire showing that their p value higher than 0.05. That means there is no relation between them. But The table shows Correlations between sex and Co-morbidities with MBPI and MBFI Scale. In Fisher Exact test shows that there is a relation of sex and Co-morbidities with pain and Fatigue.
FET Value |
P value |
|
Association between age category and mean pain severity |
8.383 |
0.696 |
Association between age category and pain interfered with general activity during past 24 hours |
14.118 |
0.14 |
Association between age category and pain interfered with mood during past 24 hours |
13.224 |
0.416 |
Association between age category and pain interfered with sleep during past 24 hours |
15.977 |
0.068 |
Association between age category and mean fatigue severity |
15.465 |
0.162 |
Association between age category and fatigue interfered with general activity during past 24 hours |
14.464 |
0.182 |
Association between age category fatigue interfered with mood during past 24 hours |
13.948 |
0.186 |
Association between age category and fatigue interfered with sleep during past 24 hours |
16.7 |
0.081 |
Association between Sex of the participant and mean pain severity |
6.899 |
.0223* |
Association between Sex of the participant and pain interfered with general activity during past 24 hours |
7.545 |
.014* |
Association between Sex of the participant and pain interfered with mood during past 24 hours |
7.43 |
.014* |
Association between Sex of the participant and pain interfered with sleep during past 24 hours |
4.993 |
0.062 |
Association between Sex of the participant and mean fatigue severity |
12.482 |
0.002** |
Association between Sex of the participant and fatigue interfered with general activity during past 24 hours |
11.514 |
0.002** |
Association between Sex of the participant and fatigue interfered with mood during past 24 hours |
12.317 |
0.001*** |
Association between Sex of the participant and fatigue interfered with sleep during past 24 hours |
17.737 |
0.001*** |
Association in between Co-morbidities and mean pain severity |
14.697 |
0.026* |
Association in between Co-morbidities and pain interfered with general activity during past 24 hours |
19.448 |
0.004** |
Association in between Co-morbidities and pain interfered with mood during past 24 hours |
14.471 |
0.050* |
Association in between Co-morbidities and Pain interfered with sleep during past 24 hours |
19.448 |
0.004** |
Association in between Co-morbidities and mean fatigue severity |
16.344 |
0.079 |
Association in between Co-morbidities and fatigue interfered with general activity during past 24 hours |
8.995 |
0.305 |
Association in between Co-morbidities and fatigue interfered with mood during past 24 hours |
12.85 |
0.071 |
Association in between Co-morbidities and fatigue interfered with sleep during past 24 hours |
12.634 |
0.094 |
Here, P<0.05=*, P<0.01=** and P<0.001=***
Table 2: Association of MBPI and MBFI Scale with Socio-Demographical data of Participants.
4. Discussion
The present study used a cross-sectional design to find out the characteristics of long COVID Symptoms after diagnosis COVID-19 disease of people living at Dhaka division, Bangladesh. In this study, the prevalence of long COVID symptoms was 15.6%. This is slightly lower than that reported by another study of the overall Bangladesh. which reported the prevalence of long COVID symptoms as 16.1 % [9]. After 12 weeks Among the long COVID patients 2.20 % had Cough, 69.60% had Fatigue, 10.9% had Headache, 15.2% had Shortness of breathing, 8.7 % had Anorexia, 2.2% had Dizziness, 13 % had anosmia, 41.30% had Body pain, and 15.20% had other symptoms. This is also similar to other study of long COVID in Bangladesh. A Systematic review conducted with a comprehensive search including formal databases, COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 data sources, grey literature, and manual search. This study included 25 observational studies with moderate to high methodological quality, considering 5440 participants. The frequency of long COVID-19 ranged from 4.7% to 80%, and the most prevalent signs/symptoms were chest pain (up to 89%), fatigue (up to 65%), dyspnea (up to 61%), and cough and sputum production (up to 59%). Temporal criteria used to define long COVID-19 varied from 3 to 24weeks after acute phase or hospital discharge [10,11].In fisher exact test we found there was relation in gender and Co-morbidity with long COVID symptoms. Female were more fatigue than male and the patients who had Co-morbidity had more chance to affected in long COVID. This study has several limitations, including a relatively small sample size and performed in a short time, thus all factors related to long COVID may not have been emphasized. If there was adequate time, the scope of this project may be expanded. Future research in this area should aim for larger, more diverse cohorts and consider longitudinal follow-up to better understand the trajectory of Long COVID symptoms.
5. Conclusion
Assuming at least 10% of COVID-19 survivors develop long COVID, which is likely underestimated, it is estimated that 5 million people are facing long COVID globally. From this study can be concluded that the current understanding of long COVID, a relatively new and puzzling condition that may affect COVID-19 survivors, regardless of initial disease severity or age. In this study we identified the prevalence of long COVID. The severity of symptoms and their co-relation have been discussed. In addition, the study identified some COVID related information like severity, medication status, vaccination status, Socio demographic status and Co-morbidity. The information presented in this review, which has not been communicated extensively elsewhere in the literature, may serve as a starting point for further exploration on long COVID. Evidently, the pandemic has brought us a wave of a new chronic, disabling condition called long COVID that deserves serious attention among the scientific and medical communities to resolve.
Author Contributions:
- Tamzid Hossain
GROUP 1: Conception of the work, Acquisition and Analysis of data
GROUP 2: Revising the work critically for important intellectual content
GROUP 3: Final approval of the version to be published
GROUP 4: Agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.
- Mohammad Anwar Hossain
GROUP 1: Design of the work, Analysis and Interpretation of data
GROUP 2: Revising the work critically for important intellectual content
GROUP 3: Final approval of the version to be published
GROUP 4: Agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved
- Farjana Sharmin
GROUP 1: Interpretation of data
GROUP 2: Revising the work critically for important intellectual content
GROUP 3: Final approval of the version to be published
- Ershad Ali
GROUP 1: Conception of the work, Acquisition and Analysis of data
GROUP 2: Revising the work critically for important intellectual content
GROUP 3: Final approval of the version to be published
GROUP 4: Agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved
- Shafiqul Islam
GROUP 1: Analysis and Interpretation of data
GROUP 2: Revising the work critically for important intellectual content
GROUP 3: Agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.
- Kulsum Akter
GROUP 1: Analysis of data
GROUP 2: Revising the work critically for important intellectual content
GROUP 3: Final approval of the version to be published.
- Shahid Afridi
GROUP 1: Conception of the work, Acquisition and Analysis of data
GROUP 2: Revising the work critically for important intellectual content
GROUP 3: Final approval of the version to be published
GROUP 4: Agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved
- Amina Akter
GROUP 1: Interpretation of data
GROUP 2: Revising the work critically for important intellectual content
GROUP 3: Final approval of the version to be published
- Luthfor Rahman
GROUP 1: Conception of the work, Acquisition and Analysis of data
GROUP 2: Revising the work critically for important intellectual content
GROUP 3: Final approval of the version to be published
- Rubaya Sultana
GROUP 1: Analysis of data
GROUP 2: Revising the work critically for important intellectual content
GROUP 3: Final approval of the version to be published
Patient consent:
Written consent was taken from all participants before intervention.
Conflicts of Interest:
No conflict of interest
Institutional Review Board Statement:
(Ref no: CRP/BHPI/IRB/03/2022/564)
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