Prevalence and patterns of symptoms of dysautonomia in patients with long-COVID syndrome: A cross-sectional study, 2022, Eldokla et al

[Andy]

Abstract
Background
The association between autonomic dysfunction and long-COVID syndrome is established. However, the prevalence and patterns of symptoms of dysautonomia in long-COVID syndrome in a large population are lacking.

Objective
To evaluate the prevalence and patterns of symptoms of dysautonomia in patients with long-COVID syndrome.

Methods
We administered the Composite Autonomic Symptom Score 31 (COMPASS-31) questionnaire to a sample of post-COVID-19 patients who were referred to post-COVID clinic in Assiut University Hospitals, Egypt for symptoms concerning for long-COVID syndrome. Participants were asked to complete the COMPASS-31 questionnaire referring to the period of more than 4 weeks after acute COVID-19.

Results
We included 320 patients (35.92 ± 11.92 years, 73% females). The median COMPASS-31 score was 26.29 (0–76.73). The most affected domains of dysautonomia were gastrointestinal, secretomotor, and orthostatic intolerance with 91.6%, 76.4%, and 73.6%, respectively. There was a positive correlation between COMPASS-31 score and long-COVID duration (p < 0.001) and a positive correlation between orthostatic intolerance domain score and post-COVID duration (p < 0.001). There was a positive correlation between orthostatic intolerance domain score and age of participants (p = 0.004). Two hundred forty-seven patients (76.7%) had a high score of COMPASS-31 >16.4. Patients with COMPASS-31 >16.4 had a longer duration of long-COVID syndrome than those with score <16.4 (46.2 vs. 26.8 weeks, p < 0.001).

Conclusions
Symptoms of dysautonomia are common in long-COVID syndrome. The most common COMPASS-31 affected domains of dysautonomia are gastrointestinal, secretomotor, and orthostatic intolerance. There is a positive correlation between orthostatic intolerance domain score and patients' age.

Open access, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/acn3.51557

 

[rvallee]

Would have been nice to specify which way age correlates to OI: older patients have higher scores. Specifically, there is this:

The COMPASS-31 total score was not statistically significantly different between male and female or between patients aged above and below 40-year-old (p = 0.937, 0.515, respectively) (Table 3).

I'm not sure what it actually means.

And it seems to only apply below a certain score (about mid-way):

However, there was no statistically significant association between COMPASS-31 score >16.4 and patients' age or gender (Table 3).

One small thing, but I do appreciate the fact that they speak of a score, rather than a measure. Questionnaires can be useful, but they aren't measuring tools, no one uses a scoring system when they can actually measure it instead. BPS ideologues always misuse words and assert they are measuring. They aren't, measuring has a precise meaning in science and a questionnaire score ain't it.