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Sex-dependent characteristics of Neuro-Long-COVID: Data from a dedicated neurology ambulatory service, 2022, Michelutti et al

Discussion in 'Long Covid research' started by Andy, Aug 23, 2022.

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  1. Andy

    Andy Committee Member

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    21,914
    Location:
    Hampshire, UK
    Highlights
    • More women than males complain of Neuro-Long Covid symptoms.
    • The response to Covid-19 infection causes higher rates of acute phase symptoms in males than in females.
    • No significant difference linked to sex has been observed for Neuro-Long-Covid symptoms.
    Abstract

    “Long-COVID” is a clinical entity that consists of persisting post-infectious symptoms that last for more than three months after the onset of the first acute COVID-19 symptoms. Among these, a cluster of neurological persisting symptoms defines Neuro-Long-COVID. While the debate about the pathogenesis of Long-COVID is still ongoing, sex differences have been individuated for both the acute and the chronic stage of the infection.

    We conducted a retrospective study describing sex differences in a large sample of patients with Neuro-Long-COVID. Demographic and clinical data were collected in a specifically designed Neuro-Long-Covid outpatient service. Our sample included 213 patients: 151 were females and 62 were males; the mean age was similar between females (53 y, standard deviation 14) and males (55 y, standard deviation 15); no significant differences was present between the demographic features across the two groups.

    Despite the prevalence of the specific chronic symptoms between male and females showed no significant differences, the total number of females accessing our service was higher than that of males, confirming the higher prevalence of Neuro-Long-COVID in female individuals. Conversely, a worse acute phase response in males rather than females was confirmed by a significant difference in the rates of acute respiratory symptoms (p = 0.008), dyspnea (p = 0.018), respiratory failure (p = 0.010) and the consequent need for ventilation (p = 0.015), together with other acute symptoms such as palpitations (p = 0.049), headache (p = 0.001) and joint pain (p = 0.049). Taken together, these findings offer a subgroup analysis based on sex-dependent characteristics, which can support a tailored-medicine approach.

    Open access, https://www.jns-journal.com/article/S0022-510X(22)00217-9/fulltext
     
    Andy, Aug 23, 2022
    #1
    Peter Trewhitt, RedFox, Wyva and 2 others like this.
  2. Hutan

    Hutan Moderator Staff Member

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    Location:
    Aotearoa New Zealand
    There's a decent discussion. No answers, but it seems like a clinical team (in Trieste, Italy) that is keeping good records and not leaping to BPS conclusions. It sounds as though they will do followup studies to track changes in symptoms.

    Table 1 was interesting - there's a low rate of psychiatric and obesity co-morbidities. It would have been good to have some more discussion about what these co-morbidities were, and how they compare to similarly aged people without Long Covid.

    Table 1: Participants' demographics and pre-infection clinical characteristics in females (n = 151) and males (n = 62) reporting Long COVID symptoms.

    Screen Shot 2022-08-23 at 9.41.15 pm.png
     
    Hutan, Aug 23, 2022
    #2
    alktipping, Peter Trewhitt, sebaaa and 2 others like this.
  3. CRG

    CRG Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    1,857
    Location:
    UK
    Differentials on Neurological and Endocrine comorbidities account for virtually the entire cohort gender differential.

    Neuro comorbid 65f - 18m = 47fdif,
    Endocrine comorbid 32f - 3m = 29fdif

    Total Nc + Ec dif 47f + 29f = 76fdif

    Total study cohort 213 - 76fdif = 137.

    50/50 cohort 137/2 = 68.5 -
    Total study cohort males = 62
     
    CRG, Aug 23, 2022
    #3
    Hutan, alktipping, Peter Trewhitt and 1 other person like this.

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