23% of people infected with SARS-COV-2 Between 2021 and 2023 they developed persistent covid, and in More than half of them The symptoms persisted during two years. These are the main conclusions of a study by Isglobal, a center imported by the «La Caixa» Foundation, in collaboration with the German Research Institute Trias I Pujol (IGTP), as part of the Europe Epens Project. The risk of developing persistent covid depends on multiple factors, according to the results Published in BMC Medicine.
After overcoming an initial infection by Sars-COV-2, some people develop persistent covid. It manifests with symptoms that persist for at least three months, including respiratory, neurological, digestive or general symptoms, such as fatigue and exhaustion. Most studies on persistent COVID have been carried out in a clinical context, which may not reflect its impact on the general population.
«A cohort study based on the population allowed us to better estimate the magnitude of the persistent COVID and identify risk and protection factors,» he explains Manolis KogevinasIslobal researcher and author of the study. The study followed 2,764 adults of the Covicat cohort, based on the population and designed to characterize the impact of pandemic on the health of the population of Catalonia. The participants completed three questionnaires – in 2020, 2021 and 2023 – and provided blood samples and medical stories.
Risk and prevention factors
«Be womenHave had one Serious Covid-19 infection and present one Previous chronic coolingAs asthma, clear son Risk factors«, He says Marianna KaravaliouCo -author of the study and researcher in Isglobal. «In addition, we observe that people conn obesity and high levels of IgG antibodies Before vaccination, they were more susceptible to a persistent covid, ”he adds. This last factor could reflect a hyperactivation of the immune system after the initial infection, which in some cases could contribute to the persistence of long -term symptoms.
The analysis also identified Protection factors That could reduce the risk of developing the affection. These include the vaccination before of the infectious and blu Healthy lifestyleThat is, regular physical activity and an adequate sleep pattern. In addition, the risk was lower in person who became infected after the omicron variant became dominant. This could explain for the tendency of infrections to be milder or for a general Immunity to Covid-19.
Three persistent covid subtypes
Based on the symptoms reported by participants and their medical records, the identified researchers identified Three clinical subtypes of persistent covid. They were classified according to the symptoms were neurological and musculoskeletal, Respiratoryor serious and involved multiple organs. In addition, researchers researchers 56% of people with persistent covid continued presenting symptoms two years later.
«Our result shows that a significant percentage of the population presents persistent, in some cases affecting their quality of life,» he says Judith García-AymerichISGlobal researcher and last author of the study. «ESTABLISHER COLLABORATIONS CONTEOS Countries will be key to tempting if these findings can be extrapolated to other populations,» he concludes.
“On the fifth anniversary of COVID-19, significant advances have been made in the competition of cooling. Embargo from sin, as a teacher study, the impact of the pandemic on mental health, work and quality of life remains deep. Although this investigation represents an advance, there is still much to do for component component to complete this invisible disease, ”he says Rafael de CidGCAT scientific director in IGTP. «The covicat cohort has been fundamental for the advancement of the investigation, and we must recognize the invaluable taxpayer of the volunteers and the UPUGO of the uúpose of the Uúpose of Uúpose and Tissues, special during the diffusion moments of 2020,» he adds.
About Covicat
The Covicat cohort It is an Nested cohort in GCAT designed to characterize the impact of COVID-19 pandemic in the population of Catalonia, Spain. The reference data comes from the GCAT population cohort | Genomas for life at the German Research Institute Trias I Pujol (IGTP).
Reference
Kogevinas, M., Karavaliou, M., Espinosa, A., Iraola-Guzmán, S., Castaño-Vinyals, G., Delgado-Ortiz, L., Farré, X., Blay, N., Pearce, N., Bosch de Basea, M., Alonso Nogués, E., Dobañ, C., Moncunill, G., R., R., R., R.. García-Aymerich, J. (March 2025). Risk, determinants and persistence of the persistent COVID in a study of population cohort in Catalonia. BMC Medicine. http://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-025-03974-7
