A comprehensive characterization of patients diagnosed with post-COVID-19 condition in Sweden 16 months after the introduction of the International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision 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 126 (-) 104-113 [2023-01-00; online 2022-11-21]

The objective of this study was to provide a comprehensive characterization of patients diagnosed with post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) during the first 16 months of use of the International Classification of Diseases revision 10 (ICD-10) diagnosis code U09.9 in Sweden. We used data from national registers and primary health care 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 patients with COVID-19 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 February 15, 2022 in the two largest regions in Sweden. The cumulative incidence was higher among women than men (2.3% vs 1.6%, P <0.001). The majority of PCC cases (n = 7162, 70.2%) had not been hospitalized 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) than non-hospitalized patients with COVID-19 without PCC. This characterization furthers the understanding of patients diagnosed with PCC and could support policy makers with appropriate societal and health care resource allocation.

Clinical Genomics Gothenburg [Collaborative]

PubMed 36410693

DOI 10.1016/j.ijid.2022.11.021

Crossref 10.1016/j.ijid.2022.11.021

pmc: PMC9678230
pii: S1201-9712(22)00612-9