Persistent COVID, After Two Years of Overcoming the Acute Infection by SARS-Cov-2, Havana, Cuba, 2022
Authors:   Degree in Biological Sciences, MCs in Medical Genetics, Professor and Assistant Researcher at the University of Medical Sciences of Havana, National Center of Medical Genetics, Cuba, Gavilán Yudelmis Álvarez , Balbuena Hilda Roblejo ,   Doctor of Medicine, PhD in Medical Sciences, II Degree Specialist in Clinical Genetics, Master of Science in Comprehensive Child Care, Professor and Assistant Researcher, National Center for Medical Genetics, Havana Cuba, Betancourt Iris A Rojas ,   D in Medicine, 2nd degree Specialist in Clinical Genetics, Professor and Assistant Researcher at the University of Medical Sciences of Havana, National Center of Medical Genetics, Cuba, Ramírez Maidalys Bravo ,   Dr in Medicine, 1st degree Specialist in Clinical Genetics, Assistant Professor of the University of Medical Sciences of Havana, National Center of Medical Genetics, Cuba, Teruel Beatriz Marcheco ,   Doctor of Medicine, Second Degree Specialist in Clinical Genetics, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor. Senior Researcher, National Center for Medical Genetics, Havana, Cuba, Valle Amanda Alonso ,   Dr in Medicine, 4th year resident of the Clinical Genetics specialty, Cuba, Torres María de los A González ,   Computer Science Engineer, Associate Researcher at the National Center for Medical Genetics, Havana, Cuba, Silva Luis Carlos ,   DrC, Graduate in Mathematics, Professor and Senior Researcher, ENSAP, Cuba, Roche Nayade Pereira ,   Doctor of Medicine, Second Degree Specialist in Clinical Biochemistry, Master of Science in Atherosclerosis, Assistant Professor, Associate Researcher, National Center for Medical Genetics, Havana, Cuba, Lugo Francisco Sotomayor ,   Doctor of Medicine, First Degree Specialist in Clinical Genetics, Assistant Professor, National Center for Medical Genetics, Havana, Cuba, Benítez Giselle Monzón ,   Doctor of Medicine, First Degree Specialist in Clinical Genetics, Assistant Professor, National Center for Medical Genetics, Havana, Cuba
Published: April 2024

Introduction: Persistent COVID is considered the lack of return to a usual state of health after an acute illness due to COVID-19. Objective: To describe the presence of symptoms of Persistent COVID in affected patients two years after the infection was overcome. Methods: A prospective cohort study was carried out in 138 patients residing in Havana and Artemisa, who suffered from COVID-19 (44 mild, 87 moderate, 5 severe, 2 critical) in the period from March to June 2020, first Pandemic outbreak in Cuba. From July 2020 to July 2022, five interviews were conducted with the participants (3, 7, 12, 18, and 24 months) to determine the presence of reported symptoms of Persistent COVID. Results: 62% of the patients suffered Persistent COVID four weeks after their clinical discharge. The most reported persistent symptoms were: respiratory distress (82.6%), muscle weakness (78.2%), headache (73.9%), fatigue (65.2%), and anosmia (52.2%). One year later, only 23.2% of the cases maintained persistent COVID. At 18 months, this persistence in 8% of the cases was the majority among severe and critical. Two years after suffering from the disease, the percentage of those affected remained the same as at 18 months, with a slight improvement in some patients. Persistent COVID was more frequent in people with comorbidities and over 40 years of age. Conclusions: The presence of Persistent COVID is not exclusive to symptomatic patients for acute infection. The severity of persistent symptoms and their duration show a proportional relationship with severity, which points to a more severe and prolonged Persistent COVID the more severe the acute phase of the disease was suffered.