COVID-19 survivors at increased risk of psychiatric sequelae, finds study

Hence, Maxime Taquet and colleagues from the Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, UK conducted an electronic health record network cohort study using data from 69 million individuals, 62 354 of whom had a diagnosis of COVID-19. They assessed whether a diagnosis of COVID-19 (compared with other health events) was associated with increased rates of subsequent psychiatric diagnoses, and whether patients with a history of psychiatric illness are at a higher risk of being diagnosed with COVID-19.

The authors used propensity score matching to control for confounding by risk factors for COVID-19 and for the severity of illness. They also measured the incidence of and hazard ratios (HRs) for psychiatric disorders, dementia, and insomnia, during the first 14 to 90 days after a diagnosis of COVID-19.

The following findings were noted-

1. The incidence of any psychiatric diagnosis in the 14 to 90 days after COVID-19 diagnosis was 18·1% including 5·8% that was a first diagnosis.
2. The incidence of the first diagnosis of dementia in the 14 to 90 days after COVID-19 diagnosis was 1·6% in people older than 65 years.
3. A psychiatric diagnosis in the previous year was associated with a higher incidence of COVID-19 diagnosis.

Hence, the researchers inferred that "survivors of COVID-19 appear to be at increased risk of psychiatric sequelae and a psychiatric diagnosis might be an independent risk factor for COVID-19. Although preliminary, the findings have implications for clinical services and prospective cohort studies are warranted."