The clinical sequelae of mild to moderate course of COVID-19 include persistent neurocognitive abnormalities

AGNIESZKA BEDNARSKA¹Marek Radkowski¹Dominik Bursa¹Natalia Bluszcz²Dawid Porowski¹Michał Makowiecki¹Iwona Sosińska-Bryła²Małgorzata Hackiewicz²Marcin Paciorek¹Anna Furman-Dłubała^2*Andrzej Horban¹

• ¹Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
• ²Infectious Diseases Clinic, Warsaw Medical University, Warsaw, Poland

The study was approved by the Bioethics Committee of the Medical University of Warsaw (no. AKBE/122/2021). Due to the retrospective nature of the study, obtaining informed consent from the subjects was not required.The aim of the study was to examine the incidence of symptoms indicating neurological or pulmonary complications after recovery from mild to moderate COVID-19.The study included 138 adult outpatients who in whom underwent Chest X-ray, complete blood cellscount, C-reactive protein, interleukin-6 and Dd-dimer testings were duringdone in the acute phase of the disease. Thirty days after being determined convalescent, serological tests (IgM and IgG anti SARS-CoV-2) were performed, and patients were asked to complete a survey assessing their wellbeing.The most common sequelae included decreased physical efficiency (35%), weakness (24%), difficulty concentrating (16%) and memory problems (15%) and these correlated with an abnormal chest X-ray. Seroconversion to anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG was detected in 49 (87.5%) out of 56 tested patients and was more common in patients with more severe course of the infection.Persons Individuals with mild and moderate course of COVID-19 are likely to have persistent neurocognitive symptoms.Those with initial abnormal chest X-ray and elevated inflammatory parameters are more likely to seroconvert to anti-SARS-CoV-2.