The Relationship Between Cognitive Dysfunction and Self-Reported Clinical Outcomes in Long COVID

Purpose: Long COVID (LC) is an ongoing public health crisis due to the persistent and debilitating symptoms that many individuals develop after surviving an acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. Neurocognitive impairments associated with LC are prevalent and difficult to treat. This study describes the clinical characteristics and outcomes from a cohort of patients with LC and examines how cognitive dysfunction is related to various other health domains such as function, neuropsychiatric issues, and quality of life. Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional analyses were conducted using self-reported data collected by online survey: demographic information, questions about symptoms, perceived deficits, functional limitations, and other measures of well-being from various standardized instruments. The relationship between cognitive dysfunction and these variables was assessed by Spearman correlations and chi-square tests. Results: The sample included 427 subjects: 29.7% male, median 45 (14–89) years old. Based on normative cutoff, a large majority (72.4%) presented with cognitive dysfunction, which was significantly associated to fatigue ( P < .001), disability ( P < .001), reduced employment ( P < .001), and difficulty in usual activities ( P < .001). Conclusions: These findings align with and expand on previous studies investigating the negative impact of LC. Impaired cognition seems linked to adverse effects and daily functioning but causality cannot be determined without further research. Ongoing efforts are needed for identifying feasible and effective treatment options that may improve management of this complex condition.