Myalgia-arthralgia and Associated Factors in Patients with COVID-19

Fettah Eren; Bengü Özkan; Ayşegül Demir

doi:10.4274/tnd.2021.85453

Fettah Eren¹, Bengü Özkan², Ayşegül Demir³

¹Selcuk University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Konya, Turkey
²University of Health Sciences Turkey, Konya City Hospital, Clinic of Chest Disease, Konya, Turkey
³University of Health Sciences Turkey, Konya City Hospital, Clinic of Neurology, Konya, Turkey

Keywords: COVID-19, post-traumatic stress, myalgia, arthralgia, inflammation

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the psychogenic impact of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) and its association with myalgia-arthralgia in patients who are hospitalized with COVID-19.

Materials and Methods: This study includes patients who were hospitalized with COVID-19 and whose diagnoses were confirmed by thoracic computed tomography findings and positive polymerase chain reaction test. Characteristics of pain were evaluated using the pain quality assessment scale (PQAS). Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was evaluated with the impact of event scale-revised (IES-R). Scoring over 33 was considered a cut-off point for “probable PTSD”. These patients were named PTSD (+). PTSD (+) and PTSD (-) groups were compared in terms of PQAS and laboratory parameters.

Results: Of the participants, 70 (42.9%) were females and 93 (57.1%) were males. The mean IES-R score was 36.89±11.76. The prevalence of PTSD was 47.9% (n=78). The most common pain was back pain (n=52, 50.5%). Patients with myalgia-arthralgia had higher total IES-R score and subgroup scores (p=0.008, p=0.010, p=0.006, and p=0.012, respectively). The patient group with PTSD had higher PQAS score (p=0.001). Additionally, this group had lower leukocyte (p=0.002) and lymphocyte counts (p=0.010) and higher serum creatine kinase level (p=0.02).

Conclusion: Approximately half of the patients who were hospitalized with COVID-19 had PTSD, with a higher incidence and severity of myalgia-arthralgia. Therefore, myalgia-arthralgia was associated with PTSD in patients who were hospitalized with COVID-19.