after COVID-19 hospitalization in Japan was linked to neurological symptoms during admission, several clinical risk factors, and lower labor productivity.
Evidence
This cohort analysis used questionnaire responses from 1,009 hospitalized COVID-19 patients and found brain fog symptoms decreased by 3 months but then remained stable through 12 months, with associations including age, female sex, BMI, oxygen requirement, COPD, asthma, elevated C-reactive protein, and elevated D-dimer.
Caveat
Brain fog was identified from self-reported questionnaire symptoms in previously hospitalized patients, so the findings may not generalize to milder COVID-19 or prove that the listed factors caused later symptoms.
Simplified
OBJECTIVE: To reveal the clinical features and assess risk factors linked to and its societal implications, including labor productivity, providing valuable insights for the future care of individuals who have experienced coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
METHODS: We analyzed a comprehensive cohort dataset comprising 1,009 patients with COVID-19 admitted to Japanese hospitals. To assess brain fog, we analyzed patients who responded to a questionnaire indicating symptoms such as memory impairment and poor concentration.
RESULTS: The prevalence of brain fog symptoms decreased 3 months posthospitalization but remained stable up to 12 months. Neurological symptoms such as taste and smell disorders and numbness at hospitalization correlated with a higher frequency of identifying brain fog as a long COVID manifestation. Our findings indicated that advanced age, female sex, a high body mass index, oxygen required during hospitalization, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and elevated C-reactive protein and elevated D-dimer levels were risk factors in patients exhibiting brain fog. Additionally, we demonstrated the negative impact of brain fog on labor productivity by presenteeism scores.
INTERPRETATIONS: This study clarified the clinical characteristics of patients experiencing brain fog as a long COVID manifestation, specifically emphasizing neurological symptoms during hospitalization and their correlation with brain fog. Additionally, the study identified associated risk factors for its onset and revealed that the emergence of brain fog was linked to a decline in labor productivity.
Key numbers
26.3%
Decrease in Symptoms
Percentage of patients reporting during hospitalization.
42.7 points
Absolute Score
Average score for patients with at 3 months postdiagnosis.
1.001
Risk Factor for - Age
for age as a risk factor for .
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