Comparison of long-term health-related quality of life and symptoms
between COVID-19 patients and test-negative controls during the
Omicron-predominant period in Japan.
Abstract
Background: We aimed to compare symptoms and EQ-5D-5L in acute
and chronic phases between coronavirus diseases 2019 (COVID-19) patients
and test-negative controls for severe acute respiratory syndrome
coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during the Omicron-predominant period in
Japan. Methods: Individuals aged ≥18 tested for suspected
COVID-19 at a clinic in Tokyo, Japan, between January 2022 and January
2023 were invited to participate in an online survey. Participants were
asked to recall and record physical and mental symptoms and EQ-5D-5L
during the acute phase of illness, and at months 1, 3, and 6. We
compared symptoms and EQ-5D-5L among COVID-19 patients and controls. The
symptoms and EQ-5D-5L index values of male and female COVID-19 patients
were also compared. Results: Overall, 302 COVID-19 patients and
77 test-negative controls were included; the median age was 42 years,
and 41.2% were male. At month 3, 19.9% of the COVID-19 patients and
9.1% of the controls had symptoms. Mental symptoms and fatigue
persisted for more than three months among COVID-19 patients. EQ-5D-5L
mean index values of COVID-19 patients were lower than those of controls
throughout the period. Female COVID-19 patients had lower EQ-5D-5L mean
values than male patients over time. Conclusions: This study
showed that COVID-19 patients had more symptoms at three months after
testing than test-negative controls, the EQ-5D-5L mean index values of
COVID-19 patients was lower than that of controls, and the decline
persisted for more than six months. Female COVID-19 patients had lower
EQ-5D-5L mean index values than male patients over time.