key: cord-0851994-u6mn1rnc authors: El Sayed, Samir; Shokry, Doaa; Gomaa, Sarah Mohamed title: Post‐COVID‐19 fatigue and anhedonia: A cross‐sectional study and their correlation to post‐recovery period date: 2020-12-17 journal: Neuropsychopharmacol Rep DOI: 10.1002/npr2.12154 sha: 3dc727f917738e2dd61ef4fb829fed80ec81d128 doc_id: 851994 cord_uid: u6mn1rnc BACKGROUND: Individuals infected by the novel coronavirus (SARS‐CoV‐2) have experienced different psychiatric manifestations during the period of infectivity and post‐COVID‐19 infection. Fatigue and anhedonia are among the frequently reported manifestations after recovery from this novel viral pandemic, leading to early evaluation of those patients and proper management of their complaints which have a drastic burden on different domains of life. Also, the period after recovery might have an effect on the severity of these two psychiatric presentations. AIM OF THE WORK: This cross‐sectional observational study aimed to investigate the occurrence of post‐COVID‐19 fatigue and anhedonia and whether the duration after 2 consecutive PCR‐negative tests has an implication on the severity of the above‐mentioned psychiatric manifestations. METHODS: Socio‐demographic characteristics of 200 post‐COVID‐19 patients were collected, and also, the self‐assessment anhedonia scale was used to evaluate the degree of anhedonia. Fatigue assessment scale used to investigate this domain. The study targeted to find a possible correlation between the period after recovery and the other variables including anhedonia and fatigue. RESULTS: The study revealed high scores of different subtypes of self‐assessment anhedonia scale (including total intensity, total frequency, and total changes scores) in the studied group, also high score of fatigue assessment scale in those patients. Positive statistically significant correlation between anhedonia and fatigue in post‐COVID‐19 group, also negative statistically significant correlation between duration after recovery and the other 2 variables(anhedonia and fatigue) in the examined patients. CONCLUSION: Post‐COVID‐19 fatigue and anhedonia were prevalent and commonly reported in the post‐COVID‐19 period, also the duration after 2 consecutive negative PCR tests has an implication on the severity rating scale of both anhedonia and fatigue. These findings directed our attention to those reported manifestations which affected the socio‐occupational functioning of the individuals during this whole world pandemic. Rothan This study was conducted in Hayat National Hospital, Psychiatry Department, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The study was conducted from 10th of July to 28th of July 2020. This current methodological design is a cross-sectional observational study with a longitudinal component for evaluation of prevalence of anhedonia and fatigue in post-COVID-19 patients and the effect of duration after recovery from infection on the above-mentioned domains. A convenience sample of 200 patients of COVID-19 after 2 consecutive negative PCR tests who attended for pulmonology clinic for follow-up and psychiatric department for assessment. Mean duration after recovery from COVID-19 Mean ± SD 11.83 ± 3.77 This scale was developed by Olivares et al 10 The scale included 27 items each to be replied on three independent semantic differential lines: 1. Intensity (a lot-not at all), 2. Frequency (alwaysnever), and 3. Change (the same as before-less than before). Each line was 10 cm long and could be scored on a Likert-type scale ranging from 0 to 10. The higher the score, the greater the anhedonia. To avoid halo effects, the second line polarities were reversed. This scale was originated by Michielsen et al 11 The FAS is a 10-item scale evaluating symptoms of fatigue. Each item of the FAS is answered using a five-point, Likert-type scale ranging from 1 ("never") Association between sociodemographic data and total anhedonia score 2.7 | Ethical consideration 1 . IRB approval was taken to conduct this study. 2. Informed consent was obtained from all participants after full explanation of the aim of the study. Patients were confirmed about the confidentiality of their data collected and that they were able to withhold from the study at any time without giving reasons. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package of Social Science (SPSS) program for Windows (Standard version 24). The normal- ity of data was first tested with one-sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Qualitative data were described using number and percent. Continuous variables were presented as mean (SD) and two groups were compared by t test while ANOVA test was used to compare more than 2 group. The results were considered significant when (P ≤ .05). Pearson correlation was used to correlate continuous data. Table 2 shows results distribution of self-assessment anhedonia scale domains in which mean total intensity score was 224.02 (SD ± 20.72), mean total frequency score was 229.89 (SD ± 18.80), mean total change score was 234.87(SD ± 16.58), and mean total anhedonia score was 688.41(SD ± 52.98). Mean fatigue score was 40.81(SD ± 5.75). Table 3 shows no statistically significant correlation between items of socio-demographic data and mean total anhedonia score. Fatigue assessment scale Association between sociodemographic data and fatigue assessment scale Table 4 showed a statistically significant positive correlation between gender of the patient and fatigue assessment scale (t = 1.97, P value .05*). Also, this study was unique regarding evaluation not only the total anhedonia score but also: total intensity, total frequency, and F I G U R E 1 illustrated the association between mean fatigue score and mean anhedonia score [Colour figure can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com] In conclusion, post-COVID-19 fatigue and anhedonia were common after recovery from novel coronavirus infection that affecting the domains of life of the patients, also the duration after cure affected these 2 manifestations which evoked an important question: Are they a transient sequelae of infection or still persist even after recovery? , this needs more research. The study needs more number of cases for more solid data, also the assessment was done once, and more frequent evaluation will be needed for further consolidated results. There are no conflicts of interest. Gomaa: collection of patients' data and revision of manuscript. Informed consent was obtained from all participants after full explanation of the aim of the study. IRB approval was taken to conduct this study. n/a. n/a. The data are not publicly available due to ethical restrictions because the disclosure of personal data was not included in the research protocol of the present study. Samir El Sayed https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9703-9769 The epidemiology and pathogenesis of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak World Health Organization. WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 New insights on a rapidly changing epidemic Reconsidering anhedonia in depression: Lessons from translational neuroscience Do people become more apathetic as they grow older? A longitudinal study in healthy individuals The psychological impact of quarantine and how to reduce it: rapid review of the evidence Can physical assessment techniques aid diagnosisin people with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis? 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