Table 3 Baseline characteristics of the participants in the covariate-matched cohort

From: Distinct brain alterations and neurodegenerative processes in cognitive impairment associated with post-acute sequelae of COVID-19

 

NS-PASC (n = 27)

Other-PASC (n = 27)

Cog-PASC (n = 28)

P

Age, years

61.0 [55.5–65.0]

61.0 [53.5–64.0]

64.0 [52.5–68.0]

0.288

Female

20 (74.1)

21 (77.8)

19 (67.9)

0.703

Education, years

14.0 [12.0–16.0]

14.0 [12.0–16.0]

12.0 [12.0–16.0]

0.420

Socio-economic status

Employment status

   

0.937

 Employed

14 (51.9)

14 (51.9)

12 (42.9)

 

 Unemployed

4 (14.8)

5 (18.5)

5 (17.9)

 

 Retired

9 (33.3)

8 (29.6)

11 (39.3)

 

 Student

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

 

Health insurance

   

0.357

 National health

27 (100.0)

26 (96.3)

28 (100.0)

 

 Medical aid

0 (0.0)

1 (3.7)

0 (0.0)

 

Residential area

   

0.649

 Urban

16 (59.3)

14 (51.9)

19 (67.9)

 

 Suburban

9 (33.3)

11 (40.7)

6 (21.4)

 

 Rural

2 (7.4)

2 (7.4)

3 (10.7)

 

Comorbidities

 Hypertension

7 (25.9)

10 (37.0)

10 (35.7)

0.636

 Hyperlipidemia

6 (22.2)

9 (33.3)

7 (25.0)

0.631

 Diabetes

2 (7.4)

5 (18.5)

5 (17.9)

0.430

 History of stroke or CHD

2 (7.4)

1 (3.7)

2 (7.1)

0.817

 Chronic kidney disease

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

–

 Chronic lung disease

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

–

 Inactive cancera

1 (3.7)

1 (3.7)

1 (3.6)

1.000

 Depression

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

–

COVID-19 infection times

   

0.395

 Once

24 (88.9)

21 (77.8)

25 (89.3)

 

 Twice

3 (11.1)

6 (22.2)

3 (10.7)

 

 Thrice

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

 

Variant of SARS-CoV-2

   

0.413

 Delta

1 (3.7)

3 (11.1)

1 (3.6)

 

 Omicron

26 (96.3)

24 (88.9)

27 (96.4)

 

Post-COVID-19 period, month

12.0 [7.5–13.0]

10.0 [6.5–13.5]

13.0 [8.5–14.0]

0.263

Post-COVID-19 brain imaging interval

13.0 [9.5–15.0]

11.0 [6.5–14.0]

14.0 [9.5–15.0]

0.226

Hospitalized for COVID-19

0 (0.0)

2 (7.4)

1 (3.6)

0.350

 ICU Hospitalization

0 (0.0)

1 (3.7)

0 (0.0)

0.357

Treatment for COVID-19b

0 (0.0)

3 (11.1)

1 (3.6)

0.153

Vaccination status

   

0.357

 Partially vaccinated

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

 

 Fully vaccinated

0 (0.0)

1 (3.7)

0 (0.0)

 

WHO Ordinal Scale

   

0.350

 Score 1

27 (100.0)

26 (96.3)

28 (100.0)

 

 Score 3

27 (100.0)

25 (92.6)

27 (96.4)

 

 Score 4

0 (0.0)

2 (7.4)

1 (3.6)

 

MoCA score

28.0 [27.0–29.0]

28.0 [27.0–28.0]

24.0 [22.0–25.0]

<0.001

FAS score

13.0 [11.0–16.5]

28.0 [24.0–35.0]

22.5 [13.5–30.0]

<0.001

PASC score

3.0 [3.0–10.0]

11.0 [11.0–12.0]

11.0 [3.5–12.0]

<0.001

  1. NS-PASC, no significant PASC group; Other-PASC, the group with multifaceted long-COVID symptoms other than cognitive impairment (Montreal Cognitive Assessment [MoCA] ≥26 [a score ≥26 was considered normal]), Fatigue Assessment Scale [FAS] ≥22 [a score >22 indicated higher fatigue], and/or PASC score [symptom scores selected to define PASC] ≥12 [the threshold for the PASC score was ≥12]; Cog-PASC, group with cognitive impairment (MoCA <26 [a score ≤25 was considered mild cognitive impairment]). PASC, post-acute sequelae of COVID-19; WHO Ordinal Scale, The World Health Organization (WHO) ordinal clinical severity scale at hospital admission (the scale ranges from 0 to 9, with higher scores indicating greater symptom severity). Data are presented as n (%) for categorical variables and as median with interquartile range (IQR; 25th–75th percentiles) for continuous variables. Group differences were assessed using two-sided Pearson’s chi-squared tests (categorical) and the Kruskal–Wallis test (continuous), with Dunn’s post hoc pairwise comparisons and Bonferroni adjustment for multiple testing where applicable. Exact p-values are provided in the Source Data file.
  2. aCured or inactive cancer status.
  3. bTreatment for COVID-19 included Remdesivir (n = 1), Regkirona (n = 1), both Remdesivir and Regkirona (n =  1), and unknown treatment (n = 1).
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