A comprehensive characterisation of patients diagnosed with post-COVID-19 condition in Sweden 16 months after the introduction of the ICD-10 diagnosis code (U09.9): a population-based cohort study.

Bygdell M, Leach S, Lundberg L, Gyll D, Martikainen J, Santosa A, Li H, Gisslén M, Nyberg F

Int J Infect Dis - (-) - [2022-11-18; online 2022-11-18]

The objective of this study was to provide a comprehensive characterisation of patients diagnosed with post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) during the first 16 months of usage of the International Classification of Diseases revision 10 (ICD-10) diagnosis code U09.9 in Sweden. We used data from national registers and primary healthcare databases for all adult inhabitants of the two largest regions in Sweden, comprising 4.1 million inhabitants (approximately 40% of the Swedish population). We present the cumulative incidence and incidence rate of PCC overall and among subgroups and describe COVID-19 patients with or without PCC regarding sociodemographic characteristics, comorbidities, subsequent diseases, COVID-19 severity, and virus variants. Of all registered COVID-19 cases available for PCC diagnosis (n=506,107), 2.0% (n=10,196) had been diagnosed with PCC using ICD-10 code U09.9 as of 15 February 2022 in the two largest regions in Sweden. The cumulative incidence was higher among women compared to men (2.3% vs 1.6%, p<0.001). The majority of PCC cases (n=7,162, 70.2%) had not been hospitalised for COVID-19. This group was more commonly female (69.9% vs 52.9%, p<0.001), had a tertiary education (51.0% vs 44.1%, p<0.001), and was older (median age difference 5.7 years, p<0.001) compared to non-hospitalised COVID-19 patients without PCC. This characterisation furthers the understanding of patients diagnosed with PCC and could support policymakers with appropriate societal and healthcare resource allocation.

Clinical Genomics Gothenburg [Collaborative]

PubMed 36410693

DOI 10.1016/j.ijid.2022.11.021

Crossref 10.1016/j.ijid.2022.11.021

pii: S1201-9712(22)00612-9