Charles Daniel Schnorr, Omar Antonio Diaz Poujol, Salomé Garnier, Berta Alvarez, Kathryn W Roberts, Michael de St Aubin, Saul Cruz, Lorenzo Pavon, Angela Ochoa, Homer Mauricio Mejía Santos, Yisela Martinez, Jonatán Ochoa, Rachel Budhwani, Devan Dumas, Sogeiry Solis, Margaret Baldwin, Emily Zielinski Gutierrez, Shiony Midence, Alcides Martinez, Avi Hakim, Eric Nilles
To characterize the burden of and identify risk factors for post-coronavirus disease (COVID) condition among high-risk, nonhospitalized patients in Honduras, patients with acute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who were discharged from five urban triage facilities were prospectively recruited. These patients were recruited between May and September 2022. Inclusion criteria included a positive COVID-19 antigen test result and either age greater than 60 years or age greater than 45 years with elevated risk for severe COVID-19. Follow-up was conducted at 3 and 4.5 months by telephone. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify predictors of post-COVID condition. At enrollment, 98% of participants had received two or more doses of the COVID vaccine. Three months after enrollment, 464/1,133 participants (41%) reported ongoing symptoms. Female sex (adjusted odd ratio [aOR]: 1.68, 95% CI: 1.29-2.19), three or more comorbidities (aOR: 1.62, 95% CI: 1.03-2.55), and the number of symptoms at enrollment (aOR: 2.41, 95% CI: 1.59-3.71 for 7-9 symptoms; aOR 3.61, 95% CI: 2.25-5.86 for 10 or more symptoms) were predictive of ongoing symptoms. A total of 4.5 months after enrollment, 258/852 patients (30%) reported ongoing symptoms. Female sex (aOR: 1.82, 95% CI: 1.31-2.54), the number of comorbidities (aOR: 1.87, 95% CI: 1.07-3.36 for two comorbidities; aOR: 2.38, 95% CI: 1.33-4.39 for three or more comorbidities), the number of enrollment symptoms (aOR: 1.73, 95% CI: 1.05-2.95 for 7-9 symptoms; aOR: 2.59, 95% CI: 1.45-4.71 for 10 or more symptoms), and three versus four vaccine doses (aOR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.06-2.22) were predictive of ongoing symptoms. These findings raise concern for an under-recognized burden of post-COVID condition in Honduras. Further research is needed to determine if findings from this high-risk cohort are indicative of post-COVID condition burden among other populations in the region.