Comparative characteristics of asthenia and quality of life in patients with post-COVID syndrome

Background. Post-COVID syndrome can affect nearly all systems in the human body, manifesting as a unique combination of new symptoms while also exacerbating pre-existing chronic conditions. As the number of individuals recovering continues to rise, it becomes critically important to understand the long-term consequences of the disease and the appropriate management strategies for this condition. Purpose – the aim of this research is to identify and assess the severity of asthenia and its impact on the quality of life in patients who have recovered from coronavirus disease. Materials and Methods. The study aimed to evaluate the patients’ conditions using psychiatric scales during the acute phase of coronavirus disease and 12 weeks after the diagnosis of COVID-19 was established. We compared data across two time periods: during acute COVID-19 and 12 weeks later. The Asthenic State Scale (ASS), developed by L.D. Malkova and adapted by T.G. Chortova based on clinical and psychological observations, and the quality of life questionnaire by O.S. Chaban were utilized. The Mann–Whitney U non-parametric statistical test was employed for statistical calculations. Results. The results revealed a statistically significant increase in asthenic symptoms in Group C compared to the control group (Group A) both during the acute phase of COVID-19 (U = 0.0, Z = –6.67, р < 0.0001) and 12 weeks later (U = 30.0, Z = –6.34, р < 0.0001). An increase in asthenic symptoms was also observed in Group B; however, the difference was not statistically significant after 12 weeks (U = 151, Z = –1.52, р = 0.12), indicating gradual improvement. Group C demonstrated significantly higher levels of asthenia compared to Group B at both time points (Time Point 1: U = 246.5, Z = 4.18, р < 0.00029; Time Point 2: U = 34.0, Z = 6.43, р < 0.0001), confirming the impact of post-COVID syndrome. Regarding quality of life, Group C also exhibited significantly lower scores compared to Group A (U = 6, Z = 6.6, р < 0.0001). Group B reported lower quality of life compared to Group A at both time points, indicating potential long-term effects of COVID-19 (Initial assessment: U = 0.0, Z = 5.46, р < 0.0001; 12 weeks later: U = 87.5, Z = 3.1, р < 0.0001). This underscores the importance of developing additional treatment and support strategies for patients suffering from the consequences of COVID-19. Conclusions. The results observed in the group of patients who developed postCOVID syndrome demonstrate persistently high levels of asthenia and low quality of life scores, highlighting the chronic nature of symptoms following COVID-19. The lack of significant improvement in quality of life and the continued high levels of asthenia in this group indicate a direct decline in the overall well-being of the participants.