INS NYC 2024 Program

Poster	Poster Session 09 Program Schedule 02/16/2024 03:30 pm - 04:45 pm Room: Shubert Complex (Posters 1-60) Poster Session 09: Epilepsy \| Oncology \| MS \| Infectious Disease Final Abstract #55 Cognitive Symptoms and Their Association with Sociodemographic Characteristics, Mood, Daily Function, and Employment in 1600+ Individuals with Long COVID Abhishek Jaywant, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, United States Lauren Oberlin, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, United States Roy Perlis, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States Faith Gunning, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, United States Category: Other Keyword 1: cognitive functioning Keyword 2: everyday functioning Objective: In early work after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we showed that cognitive impairment, predominantly attention and executive dysfunction, was prevalent among individuals recovering from COVID (Jaywant et al., 2021 Neuropsychopharmacology). These findings were subsequently replicated, and cognitive symptoms are now considered a common cognitive complaint of individuals with prolonged symptoms of COVID, i.e., long COVID. To date, however, the prevalence and functional impact of post-COVID cognitive symptoms remains poorly understood at a population-level. In large part, this is because prior studies typically recruit relatively small samples from single or multisite COVID-specific clinics, resulting in findings that may be impacted by selection bias and may not generalize to the broader population. Findings from early in the pandemic may also not be applicable to the current time. We therefore sought to (1) investigate the prevalence of cognitive symptoms in a recent nationally representative sample of individuals with long COVID, and (2) evaluate the association between cognitive symptoms and depression, sociodemographic characteristics, daily function, and employment. Participants and Methods: We analyzed data from two waves of a 50-state non-probability internet survey (the Covid States Project, covidstates.org) between December 2022 and May 2023. Survey respondents were adults age 18+, were located across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and reflected the racial and ethnic demographics of the United States. Individuals were categorized as having long COVID if they were surveyed at least 2 months after a positive COVID test and endorsed continued symptoms from the time of infection to the survey. Measures included the Neuro-QoL Cognitive Function assessment; Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9); and self-reported disability and employment. We calculated for each respondent the number of cognitive symptoms endorsed daily (i.e., rated as "often (once a day)" or "very often (several times a day)") on the Neuro-QoL and used this as a predictor in logistic regression models. Results: 14,767 individuals reported test-confirmed COVID-19 illness at least two months prior to the survey. 1,683/14,767 respondents (11%) met our definition of long COVID. Of those reporting long COVID, 955/1,683 (57%) reported at least one cognitive symptom experienced daily on the Neuro-QoL. In contrast, 3552/13,084 (27%) of those without long COVID reported experiencing at least one cognitive symptom daily. Among those with long COVID, younger age, female gender, and income level were associated with greater number of daily cognitive symptoms. In individuals with long COVID, number of daily cognitive symptoms was associated with greater severity of depressive symptoms (OR = 1.28, 95% CI [1.17, 1.39]), at least moderate interference with daily functioning (OR = 1.30, 95% CI [1.25, 1.34]), and lesser likelihood of full-time employment (OR = 0.92, 95% CI [0.88-0.9]). The relationship between number of daily cognitive symptoms and function (interference, employment) remained after including depressive symptoms in regression models. Conclusions: Cognitive symptoms are prevalent in individuals with long COVID and are associated with depressive symptoms, greater functional impairment, and lesser likelihood of full-time employment. Neuropsychologists working with patients with suspected or known long COVID should continue to be vigilant in assessing for cognitive symptoms and their impact on functioning. Treating post-COVID cognitive symptoms should remain an important component of the public health response to long COVID.

Poster

02/16/2024
03:30 pm - 04:45 pm
Room: Shubert Complex (Posters 1-60)

Poster Session 09: Epilepsy | Oncology | MS | Infectious Disease

Final Abstract #55

Cognitive Symptoms and Their Association with Sociodemographic Characteristics, Mood, Daily Function, and Employment in 1600+ Individuals with Long COVID

Abhishek Jaywant, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, United States
Lauren Oberlin, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, United States
Roy Perlis, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
Faith Gunning, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, United States

Category: Other

Keyword 1: cognitive functioning
Keyword 2: everyday functioning

Objective:

In early work after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we showed that cognitive impairment, predominantly attention and executive dysfunction, was prevalent among individuals recovering from COVID (Jaywant et al., 2021 Neuropsychopharmacology). These findings were subsequently replicated, and cognitive symptoms are now considered a common cognitive complaint of individuals with prolonged symptoms of COVID, i.e., long COVID. To date, however, the prevalence and functional impact of post-COVID cognitive symptoms remains poorly understood at a population-level. In large part, this is because prior studies typically recruit relatively small samples from single or multisite COVID-specific clinics, resulting in findings that may be impacted by selection bias and may not generalize to the broader population. Findings from early in the pandemic may also not be applicable to the current time. We therefore sought to (1) investigate the prevalence of cognitive symptoms in a recent nationally representative sample of individuals with long COVID, and (2) evaluate the association between cognitive symptoms and depression, sociodemographic characteristics, daily function, and employment.

Participants and Methods:

We analyzed data from two waves of a 50-state non-probability internet survey (the Covid States Project, covidstates.org) between December 2022 and May 2023. Survey respondents were adults age 18+, were located across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and reflected the racial and ethnic demographics of the United States. Individuals were categorized as having long COVID if they were surveyed at least 2 months after a positive COVID test and endorsed continued symptoms from the time of infection to the survey. Measures included the Neuro-QoL Cognitive Function assessment; Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9); and self-reported disability and employment. We calculated for each respondent the number of cognitive symptoms endorsed daily (i.e., rated as "often (once a day)" or "very often (several times a day)") on the Neuro-QoL and used this as a predictor in logistic regression models.

Results:

14,767 individuals reported test-confirmed COVID-19 illness at least two months prior to the survey. 1,683/14,767 respondents (11%) met our definition of long COVID. Of those reporting long COVID, 955/1,683 (57%) reported at least one cognitive symptom experienced daily on the Neuro-QoL. In contrast, 3552/13,084 (27%) of those without long COVID reported experiencing at least one cognitive symptom daily. Among those with long COVID, younger age, female gender, and income level were associated with greater number of daily cognitive symptoms. In individuals with long COVID, number of daily cognitive symptoms was associated with greater severity of depressive symptoms (OR = 1.28, 95% CI [1.17, 1.39]), at least moderate interference with daily functioning (OR = 1.30, 95% CI [1.25, 1.34]), and lesser likelihood of full-time employment (OR = 0.92, 95% CI [0.88-0.9]). The relationship between number of daily cognitive symptoms and function (interference, employment) remained after including depressive symptoms in regression models.

Conclusions:

Cognitive symptoms are prevalent in individuals with long COVID and are associated with depressive symptoms, greater functional impairment, and lesser likelihood of full-time employment. Neuropsychologists working with patients with suspected or known long COVID should continue to be vigilant in assessing for cognitive symptoms and their impact on functioning. Treating post-COVID cognitive symptoms should remain an important component of the public health response to long COVID.