Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37974068›Full record

ArticleBMC infectious diseases2023

Impact of vaccination and variants of concern on long COVID clinical phenotypes.

Grace Kenny, Kathleen McCann, Conor O'Brien, Cathal O'Broin, Willard Tinago, Obada Yousif, Tessa O'Gorman, Aoife G Cotter, John S Lambert, Eoin R Feeney and 7 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed
2.3field-weighted citation impact, top 11% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed, 11 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Evolutionary Predictors of Post-COVID Syndrome.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors at 12 institutions in 2 countries.

Grace KennyCentre for Experimental Pathogen Host Research, University College Dublin, Belfield Dublin 4, Ireland. grace.kenny1@ucd.ie.
Kathleen McCannSt Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
Conor O'BrienSchool of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
Cathal O'BroinCentre for Experimental Pathogen Host Research, University College Dublin, Belfield Dublin 4, Ireland.
Willard TinagoCentre for Experimental Pathogen Host Research, University College Dublin, Belfield Dublin 4, Ireland.
Obada YousifWexford General Hospital, Wexford, Ireland.
Tessa O'GormanCentre for Experimental Pathogen Host Research, University College Dublin, Belfield Dublin 4, Ireland.
Aoife G CotterCentre for Experimental Pathogen Host Research, University College Dublin, Belfield Dublin 4, Ireland.
John S LambertCentre for Experimental Pathogen Host Research, University College Dublin, Belfield Dublin 4, Ireland.
Eoin R FeeneyCentre for Experimental Pathogen Host Research, University College Dublin, Belfield Dublin 4, Ireland.
Eoghan de BarraBeaumont Hospital, Beaumont, Dublin 9, Ireland.
Corinna SadlierDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Cork University Hospital, Wilton, Cork, Ireland.
Alan LandayDepartment of Internal Medicine, Rush University, Chicago, IL, USA.
Peter DoranClinical Trials Institute, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland.
Stefano SavinelliCentre for Experimental Pathogen Host Research, University College Dublin, Belfield Dublin 4, Ireland.
Patrick W G MallonCentre for Experimental Pathogen Host Research, University College Dublin, Belfield Dublin 4, Ireland.
All Ireland Infectious Diseases Cohort Study
University College Dublin · IEMater Misericordiae University Hospital · IECork University Hospital · IERoyal College of Surgeons in Ireland · IESt. Vincent's University Hospital · IEBeaumont Hospital · IEOur Lady of Lourdes Hospital · IERush University · USSligo University Hospital · IESt. Luke's Hospital · IEUniversity Hospital Galway · IEWexford General Hospital · IE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDefining patterns of symptoms in long COVID is necessary to advance therapies for this heterogeneous condition. Here we aimed to describe clusters of symptoms in individuals with long COVID and explore the impact of the emergence of variants of concern (VOCs) and vaccination on these clusters.

methodsIn a prospective, multi centre cohort study, individuals with symptoms persisting > 4 weeks from acute COVID-19 were divided into two groups based on timing of acute infection; pre-Alpha VOC, denoted wild type (WT) group and post-Alpha VOC (incorporating alpha and delta dominant periods) denoted VOC group. We used multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) and hierarchical clustering in the WT and VOC groups to identify symptom clusters. We then used logistic regression to explore factors associated with individual symptoms.

resultsA total of 417 individuals were included in the analysis, 268 in WT and 149 in VOC groups respectively. In both groups MCA identified three similar clusters; a musculoskeletal (MSK) cluster characterised by joint pain and myalgia, a cardiorespiratory cluster and a less symptomatic cluster. Differences in characteristic symptoms were only seen in the cardiorespiratory cluster where a decrease in the frequency of palpitations (10% vs 34% p = 0.008) and an increase in cough (63% vs 17% p < 0.001) in the VOC compared to WT groups was observed. Analysis of the frequency of individual symptoms showed significantly lower frequency of both chest pain (25% vs 39% p = 0.004) and palpitations (12% vs 32% p < 0.001) in the VOC group compared to the WT group. In adjusted analysis being in the VOC group was significantly associated with a lower odds of both chest pain and palpitations, but vaccination was not associated with these symptoms.

conclusionThis study suggests changes in long COVID phenotype in individuals infected later in the pandemic, with less palpitations and chest pain reported. Adjusted analyses suggest that these effects are mediated through introduction of variants rather than an effect from vaccination.

Indexed as

COVID-19Post-Acute COVID-19 SyndromeChest PainCohort StudiesHumansPhenotypeProspective StudiesVaccinationLong COVIDPost-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infectionSARS-CoV-2 variants

Identifiers

PMID37974068
PMCPMC10655269
OpenAlexW4388721673

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.