Top 5 Takeaways
- Increased Incidence of Post-COVID Conditions: Adults who survived COVID-19 are at a higher risk of developing conditions such as pulmonary embolism and respiratory symptoms, with 38% of COVID-19 survivors experiencing at least one incident condition compared to 16% of controls.
- Age-Specific Risks: One in five COVID-19 survivors aged 18–64 years and one in four survivors aged ≥65 years experienced health conditions potentially attributable to their previous COVID-19 infection.
- Common Conditions: Respiratory symptoms and musculoskeletal pain were the most commonly reported incident conditions. The highest risk ratios were observed in conditions affecting the pulmonary system.
- Methodology: This retrospective cohort study analyzed EHR data from the Cerner Real-World Data network, assessing the incidence of 26 health conditions among COVID-19 survivors compared to matched controls without a COVID-19 diagnosis.
- Public Health Implications: Emphasizes the importance of COVID-19 prevention and routine monitoring for post-COVID conditions to mitigate the long-term health impacts on survivors, especially those aged ≥65 years.
Original Article Author and Citation
Corresponding Author
Lara Bull-Otterson, lbull@cdc.gov
Suggested Citation
Bull-Otterson L, Baca S, Saydah S, et al. Post–COVID Conditions Among Adult COVID-19 Survivors Aged 18–64 and ≥65 Years — United States, March 2020–November 2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2022;71:713–717. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7121e1 .
Summary
This study provides comprehensive insights into the prevalence and types of post-COVID conditions among adult survivors in the U.S., demonstrating significantly higher health risks for COVID-19 survivors compared to those who did not contract the virus, across various age groups.
Methods
The research utilized a matched cohort design and analyzed de-identified EHR data from approximately 63.4 million adults, comparing the health outcomes of 353,164 COVID-19 survivors to 1,640,776 controls from the same healthcare settings, followed for up to one year post-infection.
Discussion
The findings highlight the persistent and diverse health challenges faced by COVID-19 survivors, including increased risks of pulmonary embolism and respiratory conditions. It stresses the importance of healthcare systems adapting to manage long-term consequences of the pandemic.
Conclusion
This study underscores the critical need for integrated healthcare strategies that include prevention of COVID-19 and comprehensive care for survivors dealing with post-COVID conditions. It calls for further research to explore the underlying mechanisms of these prolonged health issues.
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