Prevalência da fadiga e fatores associados em indivíduos recuperados da Covid-19

Abstract

Introduction: After the coronavirus 2 pandemic, reports suggest persistent effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection, such as fatigue, dyspnea, chest pain, cognitive disorders, arthralgia and a decline in quality of life, with fatigue being one of the main reported outcomes. Persistent post-Covid-19 fatigue has been observed in several studies, with prevalence rates ranging from 30% to 70%. Although the identification of risk factors for the occurrence of fatigue because of Covid-19 helps to detect populations at risk, unraveling the mechanisms that can lead to this phenomenon is essential in the search for therapeutic approaches. Objective: To analyze the prevalence of fatigue and sociodemographic and clinical factors among individuals diagnosed with Covid-19 living in the city of João Pessoa-PB, in northeastern Brazil. Methods: This is a cross-sectional, analytical study, with a quantitative approach, the result of an umbrella project, which only used the population of João Pessoa-PB. The study included 263 participants through an online semi-structured questionnaire regarding the consequences of Covid-19 in the years 2023 and 2024. The population consisted of individuals recovered from Covid-19, over 18 years of age of both sexes, who had internet access, monitored with the aim of outlining a situational diagnosis capable of responding to conditions after recovery from the acute phase of Covid-19. Results: It’s estimated, considering a confidence level of 95%, that the proportion of individuals with a confirmed diagnosis of Covid-19 and who presented fatigue is equal to 90.5%, and may vary between 86.9% and 94.1%. The majority study participants were female (79.8%), and almost half of the sample identifies as mixed race (46.8%), followed by white (41.1%), with the distribution of the age group relatively balanced, with the age range between 21 and 40 being the most prevalent. It was also observed that most of the sample was employed (58.9%) or studying (19.8%). Regarding individuals with a confirmed Covid-19 diagnosis (n= 263), it was observed that almost all reported fatigue as a permanent condition after the acute phase (n= 238), of which 46.8% had a Covid -19 diagnosis once; 33.1% tested positive twice; 9.1% were diagnosed on 3 occasions; at the same time, 4 individuals reported that they had tested positive for covid-19 at 4 different times. After carrying out logistic regression, it was found that the individuals who presented acute symptoms of Covid-19 persisted after 4 weeks were 5.55 times more likely to have fatigue when compared to those who did not had symptoms, and this number could reach up to 10.7 times more likely. Furthermore, for those who consumed alcoholic beverages, the chance of experiencing fatigue when compared to a patient who does not use alcoholic beverages is 2.888 times greater. Conclusion: Among the be the persistent conditions reported by individuals diagnosed with Covid-19, fatigue proved to most prevalent, especially among those who reported the persistence of acute symptoms of Covid-19 after 4 weeks, as well as those who made dangerous use of alcoholic beverages. Therefore, the importance of evaluating and targeting individuals who are more likely to present fatigue as a persistent condition after the acute phase of Covid-19 is highlighted, in order to help the individual to live with these symptoms, providing more autonomy for performing daily life activities.