| Abstract: | Theoretical background: Long covid, characterized by the persistence or emergence of new symptoms following the acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection, remains a complex and poorly understood syndrome. Its prevalence is high, with some studies reporting rates as high as 30%. Various pathophysiological mechanisms are involved in the development of long covid. Depending on the prominence of individual mechanisms, long covid is accompanied by diverse symptoms, typically appearing as symptomatic phenotypes. Routine laboratory and functional tests in long covid patients often show no abnormalities, while more specialized tests are usually consistent with chronic inflammation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and laboratory characteristics of a Slovenian cohort of long covid patients.
Methods: The study included 65 participants: 45 in the long covid group and 21 in the control group. We compared demographic data, prevalence of associated chronic diseases, vaccination rates, and the values of basic biochemical markers. We also calculated the prevalence of individual long covid symptoms.
Results: The most prevalent long covid symptoms were reduced physical capacity (84%), dyspnea (77%), and chest pain and palpitations (both 55%). Patients with long covid had a higher prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (p = 0,03) and significantly lower SARS-CoV-2 vaccination rates (p = 0,004). In long covid patients, we found statistically significantly higher values of serum urate, ferritin, troponin T, and certain other laboratory markers.
Discussion: Study results confirm the complex nature of long covid. The presence of cardiovascular diseases and unvaccinated status for SARS-CoV-2 are important risk factors for the development of long covid. Due to the relatively small number of participants and the high risk of selection bias, we cannot definitively comment on the influence of sex on the risk of developing long covid symptoms. The statistically significant differences in laboratory markers suggest the possibility of persistent low-grade chronic inflammation, which is clinically relevant. The obtained results largely corroborate the findings of previously published research.
The study's results contribute to a better understanding of long covid, which could facilitate faster diagnosis, treatment, and optimization of healthcare. Despite rapid progress in understanding of the disease, many uncertainties remain. Further research is needed to clarify these ambiguities. |
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