Hospitalized COVID-19 patients continue to have cognitive and psychiatric problems two to three years after infection, a new study finds.
- A new study confirms that many hospitalized Covid patients still have cognitive and psychiatric problems two to three years after infection.
- About 1 in 5 people suffer from depression. Unexplained fatigue or memory problems are reported by 25% of participants.
- More than 25% of people hospitalized with Covid-19 changed jobs within 2 to 3 years of infection due to poor health.
Depression, anxiety, memory problems… patients affected by Covid-19 may suffer after-effects of this disease, or even develop new symptoms several years after their infection.
These are the conclusions of a study led by the universities of Oxford and Leicester, and published in Lancet Psychiatry July 31, 2024.
Cognitive function: 10 IQ points less after Covid-19
To assess the burden of Covid-19 several years after infection, British scientists followed 475 people who were hospitalized after contracting the infection during the first wave of the pandemic. The volunteers were asked to complete a series of cognitive tests via their computer over time. They were also asked to report their symptoms of depression, anxiety, fatigue and their perception of their memory capacity. They were also asked whether they had changed jobs after the illness and why.
Results of the various tests and questionnaires: two to three years after Covid-19, participants showed on average significantly lower scores on cognitive tests (attention and memory) than expected. The average decline was equivalent to 10 IQ points.
In addition, a significant proportion of them reported severe symptoms of depression (about 1 in 5), anxiety (1 in 8), fatigue (25%) and subjective memory problems (25%). Moreover, they tended to get worse over time.
While these long-term disorders were already present six months after coronavirus infection for a large number of patients, some volunteers suffering from depression, anxiety or memory problems 2 to 3 years after their infection did not have them at the start of the disease.
“New symptoms often appeared in people who already had other symptoms six months after infection. This suggests that early symptoms may be predictive of more serious problems later, highlighting the importance of prompt management.”explain the authors in a press release.
Long Covid: 1 in 4 patients changed jobs after infection
The study shows that the infection may have affected the professional lives of Covid-19 patients. More than 25% of the patients surveyed indicated that they had changed jobs in the years following their hospitalization. “Poor health” was the main reason given for their retraining. In addition, the tests showed that changing jobs was strongly associated with cognitive deficits and not with depression or anxiety. “This suggests that many people who changed jobs in the months and years after Covid-19 did so because they could no longer meet the cognitive demands of their jobs rather than because of a lack of energy, interest or confidence.”the researchers believe.
Another finding of the team: the degree of recovery six months after a SARS-CoV-2 infection is an effective predictor of long-term psychiatric and cognitive outcomes. Thus, identifying and treating symptoms early could help prevent long-term sequelae and the development of long covid.
“These findings help us understand the burden of brain symptoms experienced years after hospitalization for COVID-19, who are at greatest risk, and their impact on their ability to work. This is important for policy makers and clinicians, and to help target preventative interventions.”concludes Dr Maxime Taquet, from the University of Oxford, who led the study.