Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39433402›Full record

Observational studyBMJ global health2024

Long Covid: a global health issue - a prospective, cohort study set in four continents.

Ekaterina Pazukhina, Esteban Garcia-Gallo, Luis Felipe Reyes, Anders Benjamin Kildal, Waasila Jassat, Murray Dryden, Jan Cato Holter, Allegra Chatterjee, Kyle Gomez, Arne Søraas and 25 more

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMJ global health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
12citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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

12 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

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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

35 authors.

Ekaterina PazukhinaISARIC Global Support Centre, Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9379-0475
Esteban Garcia-GalloISARIC Global Support Centre, Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8030-9985
Luis Felipe ReyesUnisabana Center for Translational Science, School of Medicine, Universidad de La Sabana, Chia, Colombia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1172-6539
Anders Benjamin KildalDepartment of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromso, Troms, Norway.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1319-6511
Waasila JassatGenesis Analytics Pty Ltd, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.
Murray DrydenNational Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Jan Cato HolterDepartment of Microbiology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1618-5022
Allegra ChatterjeeUK Health Security Agency, London, UK.
Kyle GomezGibraltar Health Authority, Gibraltar, Gibraltar.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0003-3487-9172
Arne SøraasThe Norwegian Corona Cohort, Oslo, Norway.
Matteo PuntoniClinical & Epidemiological Research Unit, University Hospital of Parma, Parma, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7908-0626
Nicola LatronicoDepartment of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2521-5871
Fernando A BozzaNational Institute of Infectious Disease Evandro Chagas, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Michael EdelsteinBar-Ilan University The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Safed, Northern District, Israel.
Bronner P GonçalvesDepartment of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3329-6050
Christiana KartsonakiNuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3981-3418
Oksana KruglovaDepartment of Internal Medicine No 2, Lugansk State Medical University, Rivne, Ukraine.
Sérgio GaiãoSão João Hospital Centre, Porto, Portugal.
Yock Ping ChowSunway Medical Centre, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia.
Yash DoshiTerna Specialty Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai, India.
Sara Isabel Duque VallejoUniversity of Oxford Nuffield Department of Medicine, Oxford, UK.
Elsa D Ibáñez-PradaUniversidad de La Sabana, Chia, Colombia.
Yuli V FuentesUniversidad de La Sabana, Chia, Colombia.
Claire HastieLong COVID Support, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2075-2130
Margaret E O'HaraLong COVID Support, London, UK.
Valeria BalanISARIC Global Support Centre, Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Tigist MenkirThe Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6070-8017
Laura MersonISARIC Global Support Centre, Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4168-1960
Sadie KellyPandemic Sciences Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Barbara Wanjiru CitarellaISARIC Global Support Centre, Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Malcolm G SempleNIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, Institute of Infection, Veterinary, and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
Janet T ScottMRC, University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8030-5223
Daniel MunblitDivision of Care in Long Term Conditions, Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care, King's College London, London, UK.
Louise SigfridISARIC Global Support Centre, Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK louise.sigfrid@ndm.ox.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2764-1177
ISARIC Clinical Characterisation Group and ISARIC Global Covid-19 follow up working group

Funding

Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases and BiodefenseT32AI007535 · NIAID · HARVARD UNIVERSITY (SCH OF PUBLIC HLTH) · PI GRAD, YONATAN H, MURRAY, MEGAN B · 1998 to 2025
$4.8M
NIAID NIH HHS T32 AI007535Wellcome Trust
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionA proportion of people develop Long Covid after acute COVID-19, but with most studies concentrated in high-income countries (HICs), the global burden is largely unknown. Our study aims to characterise long-term COVID-19 sequelae in populations globally and compare the prevalence of reported symptoms in HICs and low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs).

methodsA prospective, observational study in 17 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America, including adults with confirmed COVID-19 assessed at 2 to <6 and 6 to <12 months post-hospital discharge. A standardised case report form developed by International Severe Acute Respiratory and emerging Infection Consortium's Global COVID-19 Follow-up working group evaluated the frequency of fever, persistent symptoms, breathlessness (MRC dyspnoea scale), fatigue and impact on daily activities.

resultsOf 11 860 participants (median age: 52 (IQR: 41-62) years; 52.1% females), 56.5% were from HICs and 43.5% were from LMICs. The proportion identified with Long Covid was significantly higher in HICs vs LMICs at both assessment time points (69.0% vs 45.3%, p<0.001; 69.7% vs 42.4%, p<0.001). Participants in HICs were more likely to report not feeling fully recovered (54.3% vs 18.0%, p<0.001; 56.8% vs 40.1%, p<0.001), fatigue (42.9% vs 27.9%, p<0.001; 41.6% vs 27.9%, p<0.001), new/persistent fever (19.6% vs 2.1%, p<0.001; 20.3% vs 2.0%, p<0.001) and have a higher prevalence of anxiety/depression and impact on usual activities compared with participants in LMICs at 2 to <6 and 6 to <12 months post-COVID-19 hospital discharge, respectively.

conclusionOur data show that Long Covid affects populations globally, manifesting similar symptomatology and impact on functioning in both HIC and LMICs. The prevalence was higher in HICs versus LMICs. Although we identified a lower prevalence, the impact of Long Covid may be greater in LMICs if there is a lack of support systems available in HICs. Further research into the aetiology of Long Covid and the burden in LMICs is critical to implement effective, accessible treatment and support strategies to improve COVID-19 outcomes for all.

Indexed as

COVID-19Developing CountriesGlobal HealthPost-Acute COVID-19 SyndromeSARS-CoV-2AdultAfricaAsiaCohort StudiesDeveloped CountriesEuropeFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPrevalenceCohort studyCOVID-19EpidemiologyGlobal HealthPublic Health

Identifiers

PMID39433402
PMCPMC11552006

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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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.