Cluster analysis of long COVID in Japan and association of its trajectory of symptoms and quality of life

• DOI: 10.1136/bmjresp-2023-002111
• Publication Date: 2024-02-23T16:50:14Z
• Authors: Fumimaro Ito; Hideki Terai; Masahiro Kondo; Ryo Takemura; Ho Namkoong; Takanori Asakura; Shotaro Chubachi; Keita Masuzawa; Sohei Nakayama; Yusuke Suzuki; Mizuha Hashiguchi; Junko Kagyo; Tetsuya Shiomi; Naoto Minematsu; Tadashi Manabe; Takahiro Fukui; Yohei Funatsu; Hidefumi Koh; Katsunori Masaki; Keiko Ohgino; Jun Miyata; Ichiro Kawada; Makoto Ishii; Yasunori Sato; Koichi Fukunaga
• Keywords: Cross-sectional study

Background Multiple prolonged symptoms observed in patients who recovered from COVID-19 are defined as long COVID. Although diverse phenotypic combinations possible, they remain unclear. This study aimed to perform a cluster analysis of COVID Japan and clarify the association between its characteristics background factors quality life (QOL). Methods multicentre prospective cohort collected various QOL after January 2020 February 2021. included 935 aged ≥18 years with at 26 participating medical facilities. Hierarchical was performed using 24 symptom 3 months diagnosis. Results Participants were divided into following five clusters: numerous across multiple organs (cluster 1, n=54); no or minor 2, n=546); taste olfactory disorders 3, n=76); fatigue, psychoneurotic dyspnoea (low prevalence cough sputum) 4, n=207) fatigue (high 5, n=52). Cluster 1 elderly severe symptoms, while young female mild symptoms. No significant differences comorbidities. showed most impaired QOL, followed by clusters 4 5; these changes well composition over year. Conclusions We identified clusters. Future different pathologies could result individualised treatment Trial registration number The protocol is registered UMIN clinical trials registry (UMIN000042299).