Purpose: The present study aimed to uncover the impact of long COVID on the working situations of Japanese patients. Methods: Changes in the working situations of the patients who visited our long COVID clinic were evaluated from medical records for the aspects of physical status, quality of life (QOL), and mental conditions. Results: Of 846 long COVID patients who visited our clinic from February 2021 to December 2023, 545 employed patients aged between 18 and 65 years were included in this study. A total of 295 patients (54.1%) with long COVID (median age: 43 years, female: 55.6%) experienced changes in their working status. Those patients included 220 patients (40.4%) who took a leave of absence, 53 patients (9.7%) who retired, and 22 patients (4%) with reduced working hours. Most of the patients (93.2%) with changes in working conditions had mild disease severity in the acute phase of COVID-19. The majority of those patients with mild disease severity (58.8%) were infected in the Omicron-variant phase and included 65.3% of the female patients. The major symptoms in long COVID patients who had changes in their working situations were fatigue, insomnia, headache, and dyspnea. Scores indicating fatigue and QOL were worsened in long COVID patients who had changes in their working situations. In addition, 63.7% of the long COVID patients with changes in their working situations had decreases in their incomes. Conclusions: Changes in the working situation of long COVID patients who were employed had a negative impact on the maintenance of their QOL.

UNASSIGNED: Sleep disturbances are included in the six most commonly cited complaints in post-COVID-19 conditions. In order to find the optimal management approach and enhance Quality of Life (QoL), we intend to explore sleep disturbances that occur in post-COVID-19 conditions.
UNASSIGNED: This was a cross-sectional study conducted with interviews and questionnaires using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for assessing sleep quality, Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) for assessing insomnia, Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) for assessing Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS), STOP-BANG questionnaire for assessing Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), and Short Form 36 (SF-36) for assessing QoL. We recruited respondents from several cities in Indonesia and performed an analysis to find the relationship between sleep disturbance and its association with QoL.
UNASSIGNED: This study involved 757 respondents. They were predominantly female, with a median age of 39 years, no comorbidities, and had exhibited mild COVID-19 severity. Subjects with post-COVID-19 conditions experienced insomnia, poor sleep quality, normal sleepiness, and low risk of OSA. Sleep quality caused role limitations due to decreased physical and mental health. Insomnia caused role limitations due to emotional and social functioning problems. Meanwhile, OSA only affected physical functioning.
UNASSIGNED: Numerous aspects of patients\' QoL are affected by sleep disturbance in post-COVID-19 conditions. A comprehensive approach and coordinated care pathways must be effectively managed to improve QoL among individuals experiencing sleep disturbance.

This exploratory analysis of the double-blind, phase 3, SCORPIO-SR trial assessed the effect of ensitrelvir in preventing post coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) condition (PCC). Patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 were randomized (1:1:1) within 120 hours of symptom onset; received 5-day oral ensitrelvir 125 mg (375 mg on day 1), 250 mg (750 mg on day 1), or a matching placebo once daily; and were assessed for the severity of typical PCC symptoms using a self-administered questionnaire. In total, 341, 317, and 333 patients were assessed in the ensitrelvir 125-mg, ensitrelvir 250-mg, and placebo groups, respectively (mean age, 35.6-36.5 years; men, 53.3%-58.3%). On days 85, 169, and 337, ensitrelvir 125-mg treatment showed 32.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: -30.6, 66.1), 21.5% (95% CI: -37.3, 55.6), and 24.6% (95% CI: -43.7, 60.9) reductions versus placebo, respectively, in the risk of any of the 14 acute-phase COVID-19 symptoms (at least one mild, moderate, or severe symptom with general health not returning to the usual level). Ensitrelvir 250-mg treatment showed 10.9% (95% CI: -67.0, 52.8), 9.5% (95% CI: -56.6, 48.0), and 30.6% (95% CI: -36.2, 65.5) risk reductions versus placebo on days 85, 169, and 337, respectively. Risk reductions were observed in any of the 4 neurological symptoms and were more pronounced among patients with high acute-phase symptom scores at baseline and among those with a baseline body mass index ≥25 kg/m2. Ensitrelvir treatment in the acute phase of COVID-19 may reduce the risk of various symptoms associated with PCC. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: jRCT2031210350.

UNASSIGNED: Persistent post-infectious symptoms, predominantly fatigue, characterize Long COVID. This study investigated the efficacy of Myelophil (MYP), which contains metabolites extracted from Astragalus membranaceus and Salvia miltiorrhiza using 30% ethanol, in alleviating fatigue among subjects with Long COVID.
UNASSIGNED: In this prospective observational study, we enrolled subjects with significant fatigue related to Long COVID, using criteria of scores of 60 or higher on the modified Korean Chalder Fatigue scale (mKCFQ11), or five or higher on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for brain fog. Utilizing a single-arm design, participants were orally administered MYP (2,000 mg daily) for 4 weeks. Changes in fatigue severity were assessed using mKCFQ11, Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20), and VAS for fatigue and brain fog. In addition, changes in quality of life using the short form 12 (SF-12) were also assessed along with plasma cortisol levels.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 50 participants (18 males, 32 females) were enrolled; 49 were included in the intention-to-treat analysis with scores of 66.9 ± 11.7 on mKCFQ11 and 6.3 ± 1.5 on the brain fog VAS. After 4 weeks of MYP administration, there were statistically significant improvements in fatigue levels: mKCFQ11 was measured at 34.8 ± 17.1 and brain fog VAS at 3.0 ± 1.9. Additionally, MFI-20 decreased from 64.8 ± 9.8 to 49.3 ± 10.8, fatigue VAS dropped from 7.4 ± 1.0 to 3.4 ± 1.7, SF-12 scores rose from 53.3 ± 14.9 to 78.6 ± 14.3, and plasma cortisol levels also elevated from 138.8 ± 50.1 to 176.9 ± 62.0 /mL. No safety concerns emerged during the trial.
UNASSIGNED: Current findings underline MYP\'s potential in managing Long COVID-induced fatigue. However, comprehensive studies remain imperative.
UNASSIGNED: https://cris.nih.go.kr, identifier KCT0008948.

OBJECTIVE: Post COVID-19 Condition (PCC), being persistent COVID-19 symptoms, is reminiscent of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)-a chronic multi-systemic illness characterised by neurocognitive, autonomic, endocrinological and immunological disturbances. This novel cross-sectional investigation aims to: (1) compare symptoms among people with ME/CFS (pwME/CFS) and people with PCC (pwPCC) to inform developing PCC diagnostic criteria; and (2) compare health outcomes between patients and people without acute or chronic illness (controls) to highlight the illness burdens of ME/CFS and PCC.
METHODS: Sociodemographic and health outcome data were collected from n = 61 pwME/CFS, n = 31 pwPCC and n = 54 controls via validated, self-administered questionnaires, including the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey version 2 (SF-36v2) and World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule version 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0). PwME/CFS and pwPCC also provided self-reported severity and frequency of symptoms derived from the Canadian and International Consensus Criteria for ME/CFS and the World Health Organization case definition for PCC.
RESULTS: Both illness cohorts similarly experienced key ME/CFS symptoms. Few differences in symptoms were observed, with memory disturbances, muscle weakness, lymphadenopathy and nausea more prevalent, light-headedness more severe, unrefreshed sleep more frequent, and heart palpitations less frequent among pwME/CFS (all p < 0.05). The ME/CFS and PCC participants\' SF-36v2 or WHODAS 2.0 scores were comparable (all p > 0.05); however, both cohorts returned significantly lower scores in all SF-36v2 and WHODAS 2.0 domains when compared with controls (all p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: This Australian-first investigation demonstrates the congruent and debilitating nature of ME/CFS and PCC, thereby emphasising the need for multidisciplinary care to maximise patient health outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Persistent post-COVID olfactory dysfunction continues to be studied due to the controversy in its pathophysiology and neuroimaging.
METHODS: The patients had confirmed mild COVID-19 infection with olfactory dysfunction of more than one month of evolution and they were compared to controls with normal olfaction, assessed using the Sniffin\' Sticks Olfactory Test and underwent brain, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the olfactory bulb and olfactory function.
RESULTS: A total of 8 patients and 2 controls participated. The average age of the patients was 34.5 years (SD 8.5), and that of the controls was 28.5 (SD 2.1). The average score in the patients\' olfactory test was 7.9 points (SD 2.2). In brain and olfactory bulb MRI tests, no morphological differences were found. When evaluated by functional MRI, none of the patients activated the entorhinal area in comparison to the controls, who did show activation at this level. Activation of secondary olfactory areas in cases and controls were as follows: orbitofrontal (25% vs 100%), basal ganglia (25% vs 50%) and insula (38% vs 0%) respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: There were no observed morphological changes in the brain MRI. Unlike the controls, none of the patients activated the entorhinal cortex in the olfactory functional MRI.

It is unclear how the risk of post-covid symptoms evolved during the pandemic, especially before the spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 variants and the availability of vaccines. We used modified Poisson regressions to compare the risk of six-month post-covid symptoms and their associated risk factors according to the period of first acute covid: during the French first (March-May 2020) or second (September-November 2020) wave. Non-response weights and multiple imputation were used to handle missing data. Among participants aged 15 or more in a national population-based cohort, the risk of post-covid symptoms was 14.6% (95% CI: 13.9%, 15.3%) in March-May 2020, versus 7.0% (95% CI: 6.3%, 7.7%) in September-November 2020 (adjusted RR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.20, 1.55). For both periods, the risk was higher in the presence of baseline physical condition(s), and it increased with the number of acute symptoms. During the first wave, the risk was also higher for women, in the presence of baseline mental condition(s), and it varied with educational level. In France in 2020, the risk of six-month post-covid symptoms was higher during the first than the second wave. This difference was observed before the spread of variants and the availability of vaccines.

BACKGROUND: There are limited population-representative data that describe the potential burden of Post-COVID conditions (PCC) in Mexico. We estimated the prevalence of PCC overall and by sociodemographic characteristics among a representative sample of adults previously diagnosed with COVID-19 in Mexico. We additionally, characterized the PCC symptoms, and estimated the association between diagnosed type-2 diabetes and hypertension with PCC.
METHODS: We used data from the 2021 National Health and Nutrition Survey in Mexico, a nationally and regionally representative survey, from August 1st to October 31st, 2021. Using the WHO definition, we estimated the prevalence of PCC by sociodemographics and prevalence of PCC symptoms. We fit multivariable log-binomial regression models to estimate the associations.
RESULTS: The prevalence of PCC was 37.0%. The most common persistent symptoms were fatigue (56.8%), myalgia or arthralgia (47.5%), respiratory distress and dyspnea (42.7%), headache (34.0%), and cough (25.7%). The prevalence was higher in older people, women, and individuals with low socioeconomic status. There was no significant association between hypertension and PCC or diabetes and PCC prevalence.
CONCLUSIONS: About one-third of the adult Mexican population who had COVID-19 in 2021 had Post-COVID conditions. Our population-based estimates can help assess potential priorities for PCC-related health services, which is critical in light of our weak health system and limited funding.

Early studies have found that the initial COVID-19 vaccination series was protective against severe symptoms and long COVID. However, few studies have explored the association of booster doses on severe disease outcomes and long COVID. This cross-sectional analysis used data from the 2022 US National Health Interview Survey data to investigate how vaccination status correlates with COVID-19 infection severity and long COVID among previously infected individuals. Participants were categorized into three groups: those who had received at least one booster, those with only the initial complete vaccination series, and those with either an incomplete series or no vaccinations. Out of 9521 survey respondents who reported a past positive COVID-19 test, 51.2% experienced moderate/severe infections, and 17.6% experienced long COVID. Multivariable regression models revealed that receiving at least one booster shot was associated with lower odds of experiencing moderate/severe symptoms (aOR = 0.78, p < 0.001) compared to those unvaccinated or with an incomplete series. Additionally, having at least one booster reduced long COVID odds by 24% (aOR = 0.76, p = 0.003). Completing only the primary vaccine series did not significantly decrease the likelihood of severe illness or long COVID. These findings support the continued promotion of booster vaccinations to mitigate long COVID risks in vulnerable populations.

The consequences of COVID-19 constitute a significant burden to healthcare systems worldwide. Conducting an HRQoL assessment is an important aspect of the evaluation of the impact of the disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of persistent symptoms and their impact on HRQoL and health status in COVID-19 convalescents. The study group consists of 46 patients who required hospitalization due to respiratory failure and who were subsequently evaluated 3 and 9 months after hospital discharge. At the follow-up visits, the patients were asked to assess their HRQoL using the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire. The results of chest CT, 6MWT, as well as the severity of the course of COVID-19 were also considered in the analysis. The obtained results have identified fatigue as the most common persistent symptom. The majority of the convalescents reported an impairment of HRQoL in at least one domain (80% and 82% after 3 and 9 months, respectively), of which the most common was that of pain/discomfort. The presence of ongoing symptoms may affect HRQoL in particular domains. The 6MWT outcome correlates with HRQoL 3 months after hospital discharge. Therefore, it may be useful in identifying patients with reduced HRQoL, allowing early interventions aimed at its improvement.