Neurological long-COVID: Associations among fatigue, dysautonomia, depression, and subjective memory complaints

Introduction

Long-COVID is a multisystem disease characterized by a varied presentation of symptoms. According to most recent research, the most common symptom of long-COVID is fatigue, which up to this date lacks a universally accepted definition. This study aimed to investigate neurocognitive and physical manifestations of neurological long-COVID, particularly fatigue and its relation with autonomic disfunction, cognitive impairment (known as, brain fog), and depressive symptoms. Furthermore, the study provided insights into predictors of fatigue in long-COVID.

Methods

The included patients (n=141) were referred to the neuro-long-COVID ambulatory service of Trieste from 30 September 2021–02 March 2022. Patients were given self-reporting questionnaires to screen for fatigue, autonomic dysfunction, cognitive impairment and depressive symptoms. The questionnaires adopted for these conditions to be assessed were Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), COMPASS-31, Prospective-Retrospective Memory Questionnaire (PRMQ), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Participants were divided into two groups, fatigued and non-fatigued patients, based on FSS scoring (scores > 4.67 indicate fatigued patients). The questionnaire scores of the two groups were then compared.

Results

Fatigued patients had significantly higher scores in COMPASS (p<0.001, Cohen’s d=1.077), BDI (p<0.001, Cohen's d=0.862), and PRMQ ( p<0.001, Cohen's d=1.159).

Furthermore, the multivariate regression analysis showed that predictors of fatigue in long-COVID were symptomatological burden in acute infection (OR=1.38, 95 % CI 1.020–1.887, p=0.037) and in long-COVID (OR=1.78, 95 % CI 1.133–2.2824, p=0.013), COMPASS-31>16 (OR=3.44, 95 % CI 1240–9.560, p=0.018) and BDI>15 (OR=5.1, 95 % CI 1.715–15.164, p=0.003).

Conclusion

This study showed associations between fatigue, dysautonomia and depression, as well as with symptom burden in acute and long-COVID.