Post-COVID-19 cognitive symptoms in patients assisted by a teleassistance service: a retrospective cohort study

Four years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the frequency of long-term post-COVID-19 cognitive symptoms is a matter of concern given the impact it may have on the work and quality of life of affected people. To evaluate the incidence of post-acute COVID-19 cognitive symptoms, as well as the associated risk factors. Retrospective cohort, including outpatients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 and who were assisted by a public telehealth service provided by the Telehealth Network of Minas Gerais (TNMG), during the acute phase of the disease, between December/2020 and March/2022. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire, applied via phone calls, regarding the persistence of COVID-19 symptoms after 12 weeks of the disease. Cognitive symptoms were defined as any of the following: memory loss, problems concentrating, word finding difficulties, and difficulty thinking clearly. From 630 patients who responded to the questionnaire, 23.7% presented cognitive symptoms at 12 weeks after infection. These patients had a higher median age (33 [IQR 25-46] vs. 30 [IQR 24-42] years-old, = 0.042) with a higher prevalence in the female sex (80.5% vs. 62.2%,