Characteristics of The Neuropsychiatric Phenotype of Postcovid Syndrome

Aim . To study the characteristics of the neuropsychiatric phenotype of postCOVID syndrome in COVID-19 convalescents. Materials and methods . A sample of 270 COVID-19 convalescents (mean age — 53.2±13.2, (n=130, 48.1 % men)): 62 (23.0 %) without postCOVID syndrome and 208 (77.0 %) with postCOVID syndrome. In the subgroup with postCOVID syndrome, 134 (64.4 %) convalescents had a neuropsychiatric phenotype. The study took into account medical history data, assessed the neuropsychiatric status on the following scales: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20), Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90), 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), all patients were consulted by a neurologist, a somnologist and a therapist. Results . The structure of the neuropsychiatric phenotype: insomnia (n=74, 55.2 %), severe asthenia (MFI-20 scale, n=55, 41.0 %), anxiety and depression (HADS scale, n=37, 27.6 %, n=32, 23.9 %, respectively), anosmia/dysosmia (n=13.9.7 %), ageusia/dysgeusia (n=6, 4.5 %). According to the SF-36 questionnaire, in the group of people with a neuropsychiatric phenotype, a marked decrease in indicators was detected in all subscales. According to the SCL-90-R questionnaire, the group with the neuropsychiatric phenotype showed a marked increase in all subscales. The following features were noted in women with a neuropsychiatric phenotype: indicators were lower on the scales: physical functioning by 1.1 times (p=0.017), role-playing functioning due to physical condition by 1.6 times (p=0.031) (SF-36 scale), indicators of obsessive-compulsive disorder by 1.7 times higher (p=0.028), depression 1.5 times (p=0.005), anxiety 2 times (p=0.017) (SCL-90 scale), according to the results of the HADS scale assessment, the incidence of depression in women with the neuropsychiatric phenotype of postCOVID syndrome is 3 times higher (p=0.043) compared with men, having the same phenotype. Conclusion . The neuropsychiatric phenotype of postCOVID syndrome is characterized by the presence of insomnia, severe asthenia, anxiety, depressive disorders, anosmia/dysosmia, and ageusia/dysgeusia. Individuals with a neuropsychiatric phenotype have reduced indicators of quality of life and the level of psychological well-being of the individual in all subscales, according to the SF-36 and SCL-90-R questionnaires. The incidence of neuropsychiatric phenotype, as well as the severity of psychopathological symptoms, is higher in the group of women.