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Post-covid medical complaints following infection with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron vs Delta variants

Magnusson, Karin LU ; Kristoffersen, Doris Tove ; Dell’isola, Andrea LU ; Kiadaliri, Ali LU orcid ; Turkiewicz, Aleksandra LU ; Runhaar, Jos ; Bierma-Zeinstra, Sita ; Englund, Martin LU orcid ; Magnus, Per Minor and Kinge, Jonas Minet (2022) In Nature Communications 13(1).
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant has been associated with less
severe acute disease, however, concerns remain as to whether long-term
complaints persist to a similar extent as for earlier variants. Studying 1 323 145
persons aged 18-70 years living in Norway with and without SARS-CoV-2
infection in a prospective cohort study, we found that individuals infected with
Omicron had a similar risk of post-covid complaints (fatigue, cough, heart
palpitations, shortness of breath and anxiety/depression) as individuals
infected with Delta (B.1.617.2), from 14 to up to 126 days after testing positive,
both in the acute (14 to 29 days), sub-acute (30 to 89 days) and chronic post-
covid (≥90 days) phases.... (More)
The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant has been associated with less
severe acute disease, however, concerns remain as to whether long-term
complaints persist to a similar extent as for earlier variants. Studying 1 323 145
persons aged 18-70 years living in Norway with and without SARS-CoV-2
infection in a prospective cohort study, we found that individuals infected with
Omicron had a similar risk of post-covid complaints (fatigue, cough, heart
palpitations, shortness of breath and anxiety/depression) as individuals
infected with Delta (B.1.617.2), from 14 to up to 126 days after testing positive,
both in the acute (14 to 29 days), sub-acute (30 to 89 days) and chronic post-
covid (≥90 days) phases. However, at ≥90 days after testing positive, indivi-
duals infected with Omicron had a lower risk of having any complaint (43 (95%
CI = 14 to 72) fewer per 10,000), as well as a lower risk of musculoskeletal pain
(23 (95%CI = 2-43) fewer per 10,000) than individuals infected with Delta. Our
findings suggest that the acute and sub-acute burden of post-covid complaints
on health services is similar for Omicron and Delta. The chronic burden may be
lower for Omicron vs Delta when considering musculoskeletal pain, but not
when considering other typical post-covid complaints. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Rehabilitation, SARS-CoV-2, Viral infection
in
Nature Communications
volume
13
issue
1
article number
7363
pages
9 pages
publisher
Nature Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • scopus:85143110142
  • pmid:36450749
ISSN
2041-1723
DOI
10.1038/s41467-022-35240-2
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
0428eb80-56ae-43fc-93b4-f0e067e14c95
date added to LUP
2022-11-30 16:37:27
date last changed
2023-03-02 03:00:06
@article{0428eb80-56ae-43fc-93b4-f0e067e14c95,
  abstract     = {{The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant has been associated with less<br/>severe acute disease, however, concerns remain as to whether long-term<br/>complaints persist to a similar extent as for earlier variants. Studying 1 323 145<br/>persons aged 18-70 years living in Norway with and without SARS-CoV-2<br/>infection in a prospective cohort study, we found that individuals infected with<br/>Omicron had a similar risk of post-covid complaints (fatigue, cough, heart<br/>palpitations, shortness of breath and anxiety/depression) as individuals<br/>infected with Delta (B.1.617.2), from 14 to up to 126 days after testing positive,<br/>both in the acute (14 to 29 days), sub-acute (30 to 89 days) and chronic post-<br/>covid (≥90 days) phases. However, at ≥90 days after testing positive, indivi-<br/>duals infected with Omicron had a lower risk of having any complaint (43 (95%<br/>CI = 14 to 72) fewer per 10,000), as well as a lower risk of musculoskeletal pain<br/>(23 (95%CI = 2-43) fewer per 10,000) than individuals infected with Delta. Our<br/>findings suggest that the acute and sub-acute burden of post-covid complaints<br/>on health services is similar for Omicron and Delta. The chronic burden may be<br/>lower for Omicron vs Delta when considering musculoskeletal pain, but not<br/>when considering other typical post-covid complaints.}},
  author       = {{Magnusson, Karin and Kristoffersen, Doris Tove and Dell’isola, Andrea and Kiadaliri, Ali and Turkiewicz, Aleksandra and Runhaar, Jos and Bierma-Zeinstra, Sita and Englund, Martin and Magnus, Per Minor and Kinge, Jonas Minet}},
  issn         = {{2041-1723}},
  keywords     = {{Rehabilitation; SARS-CoV-2; Viral infection}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{11}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{Nature Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{Nature Communications}},
  title        = {{Post-covid medical complaints following infection with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron vs Delta variants}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-35240-2}},
  doi          = {{10.1038/s41467-022-35240-2}},
  volume       = {{13}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}