Hospital admission is associated with disability and late musculoskeletal pain in individuals with long COVID.

Background: The acute clinical repercussions of SARS-CoV-2 infection have been widely studied. However, the possible late repercussions of long COVID have not yet been well defined in the literature.

Objectives: To identify the presence of pain and musculoskeletal disability in patients with Long COVID and also to identify predictive factors for pain intensity in this population.

Methods: In this cross-sectional and retrospective observational study individuals with Long COVID symptoms were included. It was collected musculoskeletal disability measures, data from patient-related outcome measures and variables from a COVID-19 outpatient service database. Associations and sub-group analyses were performed considering the variables pain, disability and hospitalization. Linear regression was performed to identify predictive factors for pain intensity in Long COVID patients.

Results: We evaluated 195 patients and most of them (57%) presented musculoskeletal pain in one area of the body. Pain sub-group presented worse disability indices and worse clinical course during hospitalization. Hospitalized patients presented worse disability indices comparing to non-hospitalized. Significant correlations were found between pain and days of non-invasive oxygen support ( = 0.21;  = 0.003); days in intensive care unit ( = 0.22;  = 0.002) and days in invasive mechanical ventilation ( = 0.35;  = 0.001). Hospitalized individuals showed a higher chance of presenting late musculoskeletal pain (OR = 1.42: 95%CI 1.09-2.04). Days in intensive care unit ( = 0,234:  = 0,001) and days in invasive mechanical ventilation ( = 0.764:  = 0.001) were predictors of pain intensity [F(2,192) = 18.559;  = 0.231;  = 0.001].

Conclusion: Individuals with Long COVID presented musculoskeletal pain and disability. Hospitalized patients showed a greater chance of having musculoskeletal pain. Days in intensive care unit and days in invasive mechanical ventilation were predictors of late musculoskeletal pain intensity.