Long term Respiratory complications of Covid-19 patients admitted in Sheikh Zayed Hospital Rahim Yar Khan

Abstract

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has left a lasting impact, with long-term respiratory sequelae affecting survivors globally, yet region-specific data from Pakistan, particularly southern Punjab, remain limited. Persistent symptoms like dyspnea, chronic cough, and pleuritic chest pain, collectively termed long COVID, pose significant healthcare challenges, necessitating localized evidence to inform management strategies in resource-constrained settings. Objective: To determine the prevalence and severity of long-term respiratory symptoms in diagnosed COVID-19 patients admitted to Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Rahim Yar Khan, between 2020 and 2022. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study enrolled 225 adults aged 22-70 years with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, excluding those with pre-existing respiratory or cardiac conditions, using probability systematic sampling from hospital records. Participants underwent in-person assessments from April to June 2025, with dyspnea (mMRC scale), chronic cough (SCS), and pleuritic pain (NPRS) evaluated alongside pulmonary function tests. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0, reporting frequencies, percentages, and multivariable logistic regressions adjusting for age, gender, education, and time since admission. Results: Dyspnea affected 28.89% (16.66% moderate-to-severe), cough 15.11% (13.33% moderate-to-severe), and pleuritic pain 28.00% (20.45% moderate-to-severe). Older age (OR 1.02, p=0.028) and lower education (OR 0.73, p=0.018) predicted higher dyspnea severity, with similar trends for cough, while females had higher pleuritic pain odds (OR 0.26 for males, p<0.001). Conclusion: Long-term respiratory symptoms persist in nearly one-third of COVID-19 survivors, with demographic factors driving severity, urging targeted screening and rehabilitation in Pakistani settings and further longitudinal research with imaging.