Long Covid Symptoms Vary Between Hospital and Home Patients

A new study from Italy found that long COVID remains a significant health concern years after SARS-CoV-2 infection, with the risk varying substantially depending on whether patients required hospitalization during their initial illness. Researchers followed 1,162 adults who contracted COVID-19 between 2020 and 2022, including 616 patients managed in the community and 546 hospitalized patients. 

Within the first year after infection, approximately 40% of previously hospitalized patients developed post-COVID condition (long COVID), compared with about 9% of community-managed patients. One year after infection, persistent symptoms remained in 30.2% of hospitalized patients but only 1.9% of those who had not required hospitalization. 

The researchers found that neurological symptoms, headaches, and musculoskeletal complaints such as muscle and joint pain were among the strongest predictors of long COVID in community-managed patients. Among hospitalized patients, musculoskeletal and cardiovascular symptoms were most strongly associated with the condition. 

The study also evaluated the NIH RECOVER symptom score, a research tool that uses a combination of symptoms commonly reported in long COVID to estimate the likelihood that a person is experiencing post-COVID condition. Researchers found that each increase in RECOVER score was associated with higher odds of developing long COVID during the first year after infection. The authors suggest that such tools could help identify patients who may otherwise go unrecognized and could benefit from additional evaluation and follow-up care.

Citation

Antolini L, Valsecchi MG, Bussi A, et al. Unveiling the burden of long covid in hospital and community settings: findings from the Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Network (PASCNET) cohort study in Italy’s pandemic epicentre. BMJ Open 2026;16:e114399. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-114399