Among Europeans aged 50 and over, pre-existing depression was linked to a heavier symptom burden, especially pain and confusion.
Evidence
A SHARE population-based prospective cohort used baseline EURO-D depression scores and 12-month self-reported post-COVID symptoms, estimating about a 16% higher risk of additional persistent symptoms among participants with depression.
Caveat
Symptoms were self-reported, so the study supports association rather than proving depression causes long COVID or specific symptom differences.
Simplified
BACKGROUND: Psychological distress has been identified as a risk factor for in individuals infected with COVID-19. Little is known about the differences in long COVID symptom profiles between older adults with pre-existing depression and those without.
METHODS: A population-based longitudinal prospective study was performed using the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) with participants aged 50 years and older. Depression was assessed by the at the baseline. Long COVID symptoms were self-reported by participants during the 12-month follow-up. A hurdle negative binomial model was employed to assess the impact of pre-existing depression on the burden of long COVID. We compared the differences in symptoms between participants with pre-existing depression and those without with the Chi-squared test.
RESULTS: Participants with pre-existing depression had an approximately 16% increased risk of experiencing additional persistent symptoms after COVID-19 infection. During the 12-month follow-up following COVID-19 infection, the prevalence of headaches (32.2% vs. 25.9%; P = 0.027), body aches or joint pain (38.5% vs. 29.4%; P < 0.001), and confusion (10.6% vs. 7.6%; P < 0.01) were significantly higher among participants with pre-existing depression than among those without.
CONCLUSION: Older adults with pre-existing depression had a higher burden of long COVID following COVID-19 infection and they were more likely to suffer from persistent physical pain and confusion compared to those without a history of depression.
Key numbers
16%
Increase in Risk of Additional Symptoms
Risk of experiencing additional persistent symptoms after COVID-19 infection.
32.2%
Headache
of headaches among participants with vs. without.
3.33
Average Number of Symptoms
Average number of symptoms reported by participants with .
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