Myalgia as a symptom at hospital admission by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection is associated with persistent musculoskeletal pain as long-term post-COVID sequelae: a case-control study

Fernández de las Peñas, CésarRodríguez Jiménez, JorgeFuensalida Novo, StellaPalacios Ceña, MaríaGómez Mayordomo, VíctorFlorencio, Lidiane L.Hernández Barrera, ValentínArendt Nielsen, Lars2025-01-242025-01-242021-12Fernández-de-Las-Peñas, C., Rodríguez-Jiménez, J., Fuensalida-Novo, S., Palacios-Ceña, M., Gómez-Mayordomo, V., Florencio, L. L., Hernández-Barrera, V., & Arendt-Nielsen, L. (2021). Myalgia as a symptom at hospital admission by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection is associated with persistent musculoskeletal pain as long-term post-COVID sequelae: a case-control study. Pain, 162(12), 2832–2840. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.00000000000023060304-3959 (print)1872-6623 (online)https://hdl.handle.net/10115/62379Este estudio investigó la asociación entre la mialgia relacionada con COVID experimentada por los pacientes al ingreso hospitalario y la presencia de síntomas post-COVID. Se realizó un estudio de casos y controles que incluyó a pacientes hospitalizados debido a COVID-19 entre el 20 de febrero y el 31 de mayo de 2020. Los pacientes que informaron mialgia y los pacientes sin mialgia al ingreso hospitalario fueron programados para una entrevista telefónica 7 meses después del alta hospitalaria. Los datos de hospitalización y clínicos se recopilaron de los registros médicos. Se evaluó una lista de síntomas post-COVID con atención al dolor musculoesquelético. También se evaluaron los síntomas de ansiedad y depresión, y la calidad del sueño. De un total de 1200 pacientes hospitalizados con COVID-19, 369 con y 369 sin mialgia al ingreso hospitalario fueron evaluados 7,2 meses (DE 0,6) después del alta hospitalaria. Una mayor proporción (P = 0,03) de pacientes con mialgia al ingreso hospitalario (20%) mostró ≥3 síntomas post-COVID en comparación con los individuos sin mialgia (13%). Una mayor proporción de pacientes que presentaron mialgia (odds Rratio 1,41, intervalo de confianza del 95% 1,04-1,90) exhibieron dolor musculoesquelético post-COVID en comparación con aquellos sin mialgia. La prevalencia de dolor musculoesquelético post-COVID en la muestra total fue del 38%. El 50% de los individuos con dolor musculoesquelético preexistente experimentaron un empeoramiento de sus síntomas después de COVID-19. No se observaron diferencias en fatiga, disnea, niveles de ansiedad/depresión o calidad del sueño entre los grupos con mialgia y sin mialgia. La presencia de mialgia al ingreso hospitalario se asoció con antecedentes preexistentes de dolor musculoesquelético (OR 1,62, intervalo de confianza del 95% 1,10-2,40). En conclusión, la mialgia en la fase aguda se asoció con dolor musculoesquelético como secuelas post-COVID a largo plazo. Además, la mitad de los pacientes con condiciones de dolor preexistentes experimentaron una exacerbación persistente de sus síndromes previos.This study investigated the association between COVID-related myalgia experienced by patients at hospital admission and the presence of post-COVID symptoms. A case-control study including patients hospitalised due to COVID-19 between February 20 and May 31, 2020, was conducted. Patients reporting myalgia and patients without myalgia at hospital admission were scheduled for a telephone interview 7 months after hospital discharge. Hospitalisation and clinical data were collected from medical records. A list of post-COVID symptoms with attention to musculoskeletal pain was evaluated. Anxiety and depressive symptoms, and sleep quality were likewise assessed. From a total of 1200 hospitalised patients with COVID-19, 369 with and 369 without myalgia at hospital admission were assessed 7.2 months (SD 0.6) after hospital discharge. A greater proportion (P = 0.03) of patients with myalgia at hospital admission (20%) showed ≥3 post-COVID symptoms when compared with individuals without myalgia (13%). A higher proportion of patients presenting myalgia (odds Rratio 1.41, 95% confidence interval 1.04-1.90) exhibited musculoskeletal post-COVID pain when compared to those without myalgia. The prevalence of musculoskeletal post-COVID pain in the total sample was 38%. Fifty percent of individuals with preexisting musculoskeletal pain experienced a worsening of their symptoms after COVID-19. No differences in fatigue, dyspnoea, anxiety/depressive levels, or sleep quality were observed between myalgia and nonmyalgia groups. The presence of myalgia at hospital admission was associated with preexisting history of musculoskeletal pain (OR 1.62, 95% confidence interval 1.10-2.40). In conclusion, myalgia at the acute phase was associated with musculoskeletal pain as long-term post-COVID sequelae. In addition, half of the patients with preexisting pain conditions experienced a persistent exacerbation of their previous syndromes.enMyalgiaCOVID-19Musculoskeletal painPost-COVIDSleepAnxietyDepressionPain sequelaeMyalgia as a symptom at hospital admission by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection is associated with persistent musculoskeletal pain as long-term post-COVID sequelae: a case-control studyArticle10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002306info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess