Anxiety in Patients with Post-COVID Syndrome: Associated Factors.

Introduction: The term "post-COVID-19 syndrome" describes a range of symptoms persisting beyond the acute phase of the disease. These symptoms predominantly include fatigue, muscle pain, shortness of breath, and psychological issues. Research additionally suggests the possibility of long-term neurological and psychiatric impairment associated with COVID-19.

Methodology: The study included patients who visited the post-COVID outpatient clinic between April 2020 and June 2022. The examination included the detailed history taking, including the COVID-19 course, posteroanterior chest X-ray and pulmonary function tests. Anxiety level was assessed using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). The relationship between anxiety, demographic data, and course of the disease, need for hospital admission during the acute phase, oxygen therapy, post-inflammatory changes on the chest X-ray and lung function parameters was investigated.

Results: This study included 1756 patients who experienced COVID-19 and visited a post-COVID outpatient clinic. The majority of individuals experienced a mild form of the infection. The results showed that younger age and female gender were associated with significantly higher anxiety scores. Inpatients had lower BAI values than those who were not hospitalized during acute phase. Patients with post-inflammatory changes on chest X-ray had surprisingly lower BAI values. Lower values of FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in 1 second), DLCO (diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide), and KCO (carbon monoxide transfer coefficient) were associated with significantly higher BAI values. Female gender was associated with higher levels of anxiety. In contrast, higher FEV1 values reduced the risk of a pathological level of anxiety.

Conclusion: In our study, the influence of age, gender, inpatient care during the acute phase of infection, the presence of post-inflammatory changes on the chest diagram and selected parameters of lung function (FEV1, DLCO, and KCO) were shown to be important factors in the assessment of anxiety symptoms in post-COVID patients.