Trajectories of the evolution of post COVID-19 condition, up to two years after symptoms onset

BACKGROUND

We aimed to identify trajectories of the evolution of post COVID-19 condition, up to two years after symptom onset.

METHODS

The ComPaRe long COVID e-cohort is a prospective cohort of patients with symptoms lasting at least two months after SARS-CoV2 infection. We used trajectory modelling to identify different trajectories in the evolution of post COVID-19 condition, based on symptoms collected every 60 days using the long COVID Symptom Tool.

FINDINGS

A total of 2,197 patients were enrolled in the cohort between December 2020 and July 2022 when the Omicron variant was not dominant. Three trajectories of the evolution of post COVID-19 condition were identified: "high persistent symptoms" (4%), "rapidly decreasing symptoms" (5%), and "slowly decreasing symptoms" (91%). Participants with high persistent symptoms were older and more likely to report a history of systemic diseases. They often reported tachycardia, bradycardia, palpitations, and arrhythmia. Participants with rapidly decreasing symptoms were younger and more likely to report a confirmed infection. They often reported diarrhoea and back pain. Participants with slowly decreasing symptoms were more likely to have functional diseases.

INTERPRETATION

Most of patients with post COVID-19 condition improve slowly over time, while 5% have rapid improvement in the two years after symptom onset and 4% have a persistent condition.

FUNDING

The authors received no specific funding for this study.

Tolfenamic acid and mefenamic acid in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhoea

The clinical efficacy of tolfenamic acid and mefenamic acid in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhoea was studied in a prospective, controlled, double-blind, cross-over study comprising 73 patients aged 13-39 with an average body weight of 56 kilos. The patients were randomized to receive either tolfenamic acid (200 mg t.i.d.) or mefenamic acid (500 mg t.i.d.) for 3 days, during 3 consecutive menstrual cycles each, in a sequential design A-B or B-A. At the beginning and at the end of each treatment period, 13 dysmenorrhoeic symptoms were evaluated on a visual analogue scale (lower back pain, interference with daily activities, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, headache, dizziness, fatigue, sweating, chills, hot flashes, depressant states, and mood swings). The data were analyzed by using two statistical models. The first one, for the 73 patients, by making paired comparisons regardless of treatment sequence. With respect to the initial values, the results showed that both drugs were statistically significant (P < 0.05) in reducing the intensity of the evaluated symptoms. When comparing both treatments, tolfenamic acid showed a significant difference as to interference with daily activities (P < 0.025) and hot flashes (P < 0.005). In the result analysis with the second model, the groups were divided according to the first assigned treatment and paired comparisons were made. It was observed that the group receiving tolfenamic acid in the last sequence reached a higher level of response and statistical significance was demonstrated in 8 of 13 evaluated symptoms.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)