Long COVID across SARS-CoV-2 variants, lineages, and sublineages
Sergio Padilla, Christian Ledesma, Javier García‐Abellán, José Alberto García, Marta Fernández‐González, Alba de la Rica, Antonio Galiana, Félix Gutiérrez, Mar Masiá
Abstract
This prospective study aimed to determine the prevalence of long COVID in patients hospitalized for SARS-CoV-2 infection from March 2020 to July 2022 and assess the impact of different viral lineages. A total of 2,524 patients were followed up for 12 months, with persistent symptoms reported in 35.2% at one month, decreasing thereafter. Omicron variant patients initially showed higher symptom intensity, but this trend diminished over time. Certain viral lineages, notably Delta lineages AY.126 and AY.43, and Omicron sublineages BA.1.17, BA.2.56, and BA.5.1, consistently correlated with more severe symptoms. Overall, long COVID prevalence and severity were similar across SARS-CoV-2 variants. Specific lineages may influence post-COVID sequelae persistence and severity.