{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]],"date-time":"2026-08-12T06:31:39Z","timestamp":1786516299360,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":51,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]],"date-time":"2026-08-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1786492800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Relatively little is known about long COVID (LC) in China, particularly regarding the effects of recent Omicron sub-lineages. Therefore, we systematically assessed the prevalence and risk factors for developing LC.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This retrospective cohort study included COVID-19 patients who had been hospitalized at two hospitals in Changzhi, China, between December 15, 2022 and April 30, 2024. All patients were interviewed via telephone \u2265 3\u202fmonths after discharge. The follow-up study was conducted between July 18 and August 20, 2024. Logistic regression models were used to analyze risk factors for developing long COVID.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A total of 2,765 patients (1,407 male [50.9%]; median [IQR] age 70.0 [59.0\u201378.0] years) were successfully evaluated by telephone; 458 (16.6%) self-reported long COVID symptoms. The most common symptom was fatigue (4.9%), followed by muscle weakness (3.9%), sleep difficulties (3.0%), brain fog (2.8%) and cough (2.5%). Severe COVID-19 patients had a higher risk of LC than non-severe patients (OR\u202f=\u202f1.275, 95% CI: 1.036\u20131.570). In subgroup analyses stratified by follow-up time, overweight patients (OR\u202f=\u202f1.564; 95% CI: 1.052\u20132.326), patients with \u2265 7 acute-phase symptoms (OR\u202f=\u202f1.275; 95% CI: 1.064\u20131.528), and farmer (OR\u202f=\u202f1.439, 95% CI: 1.047, 1.976) had a higher risk of LC, whereas individuals who received immunosuppressant therapy had a lower risk (OR\u202f=\u202f0.691, 95% CI: 0.504, 0.948). In addition, aged \u2265 50\u202fyears (OR\u202f=\u202f2.441, 95% CI: 1.175\u20135.072) and underweight status (OR\u202f=\u202f2.183; 95% CI: 1.115\u20134.273) were associated with a higher risk of muscle weakness.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study provides valuable insights into LC after discharge, with 16.6% of discharged patients reporting symptoms. It is essential to monitor at-risk individuals according to identified risk factors for public health efforts.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1774108","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]],"date-time":"2026-08-12T05:59:33Z","timestamp":1786514373000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Risk factors of long COVID among discharged patients with omicron infection in Changzhi, China: a retrospective cohort study"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Jianzhou","family":"Yang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Xi\u2019an Jiaotong University Health Science Center","place":["Xi'an, Shaanxi, China"]},{"name":"School of Public Health, Changzhi Medical College","place":["Changzhi, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jingjing","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Evidence-Based Medicine, Heping Hospital Affiliated to Changzhi Medical College","place":["Changzhi, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yuan","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University","place":["Guangzhou, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Liping","family":"Yuan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University","place":["Guangzhou, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yanjie","family":"Lu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Public Health, Changzhi Medical College","place":["Changzhi, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yuxuan","family":"Xue","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Public Health, Changzhi Medical College","place":["Changzhi, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tong","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Public Health, Changzhi Medical College","place":["Changzhi, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xingyun","family":"Xu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Public Health, Changzhi Medical College","place":["Changzhi, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yi","family":"Zhu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The First Department of Clinical Medicine, Changzhi Medical College","place":["Changzhi, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zhuo\u2019Ao","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Public Health, Changzhi Medical College","place":["Changzhi, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zhen","family":"Qin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Public Health, Changzhi Medical College","place":["Changzhi, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Guihua","family":"Zhuang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Xi\u2019an Jiaotong University Health Science Center","place":["Xi'an, Shaanxi, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xiaofeng","family":"He","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Evidence-Based Medicine, Heping Hospital Affiliated to Changzhi Medical College","place":["Changzhi, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"26","DOI":"10.1016\/j.hlife.2023.07.002","article-title":"Distinctive serotypes of SARS-related coronaviruses defined by convalescent sera from unvaccinated individuals","volume":"1","author":"Tan","year":"2023","journal-title":"Hlife"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3003","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scib.2023.09.048","article-title":"Classification of five SARS-CoV-2 serotypes based on RBD antigenicities","volume":"68","author":"Hu","year":"2023","journal-title":"Sci Bull (Beijing)"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"603","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2020.12603","article-title":"Persistent symptoms in patients after acute COVID-19","volume":"324","author":"Carf\u00ec","year":"2020","journal-title":"JAMA"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e102","DOI":"10.1016\/S1473-3099(21)00703-9","article-title":"A clinical case definition of post-COVID-19 condition by a Delphi consensus","volume":"22","author":"Soriano","year":"2022","journal-title":"Lancet Infect Dis"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"133","DOI":"10.1038\/s41579-022-00846-2","article-title":"Long COVID: major findings, mechanisms and recommendations","volume":"21","author":"Davis","year":"2023","journal-title":"Nat Rev Microbiol"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"806","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMoa2311330","article-title":"Cognition and memory after Covid-19 in a large community sample","volume":"390","author":"Hampshire","year":"2024","journal-title":"N Engl J Med"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"750378","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2021.750378","article-title":"More than 100 persistent symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 (long COVID): a scoping review","volume":"8","author":"Hayes","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front Med (Lausanne)"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1593","DOI":"10.1093\/infdis\/jiac136","article-title":"Global prevalence of post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) condition or long COVID: a meta-analysis and systematic review","volume":"226","author":"Chen","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Infect Dis"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1604501","DOI":"10.3389\/phrs.2022.1604501","article-title":"Long COVID through a public health lens: an umbrella review","volume":"43","author":"Nittas","year":"2022","journal-title":"Public Health Rev"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3995","DOI":"10.1007\/s00431-022-04600-x","article-title":"Prevalence and clinical presentation of long COVID in children: a systematic review","volume":"181","author":"Pellegrino","year":"2022","journal-title":"Eur J Pediatr"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"9950","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-022-13495-5","article-title":"Long-COVID in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analyses","volume":"12","author":"Lopez-Leon","year":"2022","journal-title":"Sci Rep"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e2111417","DOI":"10.1001\/jamanetworkopen.2021.11417","article-title":"Assessment of the frequency and variety of persistent symptoms among patients with COVID-19: a systematic review","volume":"4","author":"Nasserie","year":"2021","journal-title":"JAMA Netw Open"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e071050","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj-2022-071050","article-title":"Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 six to 12 months after infection: population based study","volume":"379","author":"Peter","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"934","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jval.2022.11.011","article-title":"One-year temporal changes in long COVID prevalence and characteristics: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"26","author":"Huang","year":"2023","journal-title":"Value Health"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"485","DOI":"10.1093\/eurjpc\/zwae070","article-title":"Cardiovascular disease as part of long COVID: a systematic review","volume":"32","author":"Tsampasian","year":"2024","journal-title":"Eur J Prev Cardiol"},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"322","DOI":"10.35772\/ghm.2022.01069","article-title":"Long-term sequelae of different COVID-19 variants: the original strain versus the omicron variant","volume":"4","author":"Liao","year":"2022","journal-title":"Glob Health Med"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2220578","DOI":"10.1080\/22221751.2023.2220578","article-title":"A one-year follow-up study of systematic impact of long COVID symptoms among patients post SARS-CoV-2 omicron variants infection in Shanghai, China","volume":"12","author":"Cai","year":"2023","journal-title":"Emerg Microbes Infect"},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e28862","DOI":"10.1002\/jmv.28862","article-title":"Prevalence and risk factors of long COVID 6-12 months after infection with the omicron variant among nonhospitalized patients in Hong Kong","volume":"95","author":"Luo","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Med Virol"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2261559","DOI":"10.1080\/22221751.2023.2261559","article-title":"A follow-up study on the recovery and reinfection of omicron COVID-19 patients in Shanghai, China","volume":"12","author":"Lin","year":"2023","journal-title":"Emerg Microbes Infect"},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"36","DOI":"10.1186\/s12879-023-08947-w","article-title":"Analysis of influencing factors on long COVID in COVID-19 patients infected with omicron variant three months after discharge: a cross-sectional study","volume":"24","author":"Shang","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMC Infect Dis"},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"176","DOI":"10.1016\/j.puhe.2024.09.023","article-title":"A nomogram to predict long COVID risk based on pre- and post-infection factors: results from a cross-sectional study in South China","volume":"237","author":"Zhou","year":"2024","journal-title":"Public Health"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2086","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-024-19510-w","article-title":"Acute and long COVID-19 symptoms and associated factors in the omicron-dominant period: a nationwide survey via the online platform Wenjuanxing in China","volume":"24","author":"Su","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100889","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bbih.2024.100889","article-title":"Clinical features and predictive nomogram for fatigue sequelae in non-severe patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant in Shanghai, China","volume":"42","author":"Shen","year":"2024","journal-title":"Brain Behav Immun Health"},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1377866","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2024.1377866","article-title":"Long COVID outcomes following omicron wave in non-hospital population","volume":"12","author":"Ruiyin","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"101218","DOI":"10.1016\/j.lanwpc.2024.101218","article-title":"Long COVID facts and findings: a large-scale online survey in 74,075 Chinese participants","volume":"52","author":"Qin","year":"2024","journal-title":"Lancet Reg Health West Pac"},{"key":"ref26","volume-title":"Health Statistics","author":"Fang","year":"2018"},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e21","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(23)00810-3","article-title":"6-month consequences of COVID-19 in patients discharged from hospital: a cohort study","volume":"401","author":"Huang","year":"2023","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"89","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cmi.2020.09.023","article-title":"Clinical sequelae of COVID-19 survivors in Wuhan, China: a single-center longitudinal study","volume":"27","author":"Xiong","year":"2021","journal-title":"Clin Microbiol Infect"},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1742","DOI":"10.1111\/jocn.15733","article-title":"Health-related quality of life of COVID-19 patients after discharge: a multicenter follow-up study","volume":"30","author":"Qu","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Clin Nurs"},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"395","DOI":"10.1111\/irv.12943","article-title":"Some characteristics of clinical sequelae of COVID-19 survivors from Wuhan, China: a multi-center longitudinal study","volume":"16","author":"Chen","year":"2022","journal-title":"Influenza Other Respir Viruses"},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"444","DOI":"10.1111\/joim.13284","article-title":"Half-year follow-up of patients recovering from severe COVID-19: analysis of symptoms and their risk factors","volume":"290","author":"Shang","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Intern Med"},{"key":"ref32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"617689","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2021.617689","article-title":"Health issues and immunological assessment related to Wuhan's COVID-19 survivors: a multicenter follow-up study","volume":"8","author":"Mei","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front Med (Lausanne)"},{"key":"ref33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"368","DOI":"10.1038\/s41392-021-00777-z","article-title":"SARS-CoV-2 immunity and functional recovery of COVID-19 patients 1-year after infection","volume":"6","author":"Zhan","year":"2021","journal-title":"Signal Transduct Target Ther"},{"key":"ref34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e2127403","DOI":"10.1001\/jamanetworkopen.2021.27403","article-title":"Symptoms and health outcomes among survivors of COVID-19 infection 1 year after discharge from hospitals in Wuhan, China","volume":"4","author":"Zhang","year":"2021","journal-title":"JAMA Netw Open"},{"key":"ref35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"747","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(21)01755-4","article-title":"1-year outcomes in hospital survivors with COVID-19: a longitudinal cohort study","volume":"398","author":"Huang","year":"2021","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e2231790","DOI":"10.1001\/jamanetworkopen.2022.31790","article-title":"Two-year health outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 survivors in China","volume":"5","author":"Yang","year":"2022","journal-title":"JAMA Netw Open"},{"key":"ref37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"863","DOI":"10.1016\/S2213-2600(22)00126-6","article-title":"Health outcomes in people 2 years after surviving hospitalisation with COVID-19: a longitudinal cohort study","volume":"10","author":"Huang","year":"2022","journal-title":"Lancet Respir Med"},{"key":"ref38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"55","DOI":"10.1016\/S2213-2600(23)00387-9","article-title":"3-year outcomes of discharged survivors of COVID-19 following the SARS-CoV-2 omicron (B.1.1.529) wave in 2022 in China: a longitudinal cohort study","volume":"12","author":"Zhang","year":"2022","journal-title":"Lancet Respir Med"},{"key":"ref39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1607","DOI":"10.1038\/s41591-021-01433-3","article-title":"Long COVID in a prospective cohort of home-isolated patients","volume":"27","author":"Blomberg","year":"2021","journal-title":"Nat Med"},{"key":"ref40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1101\/2024.10.16.24315602","article-title":"Imaging, pulmonary function, and histopathologic findings of persistent fibrosis in a longitudinal cohort three years after severe COVID-19 infection","author":"Murphy","year":"2024","journal-title":"medRxiv"},{"key":"ref41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"321","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tem.2023.03.002","article-title":"Long COVID: pathophysiological factors and abnormalities of coagulation","volume":"34","author":"Turner","year":"2023","journal-title":"Trends Endocrinol Metab"},{"key":"ref42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"845","DOI":"10.1016\/S1473-3099(24)00171-3","article-title":"The persistence of SARS-CoV-2 in tissues and its association with long COVID symptoms: a cross-sectional cohort study in China","volume":"24","author":"Zuo","year":"2024","journal-title":"Lancet Infect Dis"},{"key":"ref43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"709","DOI":"10.1016\/S2213-2600(23)00159-5","article-title":"Respiratory sequelae of COVID-19: pulmonary and extrapulmonary origins, and approaches to clinical care and rehabilitation","volume":"11","author":"Singh","year":"2023","journal-title":"Lancet Respir Med"},{"key":"ref44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"998","DOI":"10.1038\/s41366-021-00776-8","article-title":"Obesity in COVID-19 era, implications for mechanisms, comorbidities, and prognosis: a review and meta-analysis","volume":"45","author":"Aghili","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int J Obes"},{"key":"ref45","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0314892","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0314892","article-title":"Excess weight is associated with neurological and neuropsychiatric symptoms in post-COVID-19 condition: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"20","author":"Ronca","year":"2025","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"ref46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e55697","DOI":"10.2196\/55697","article-title":"Associations between acute COVID-19 symptom profiles and long COVID prevalence: population-based cross-sectional study","volume":"10","author":"Hirschtick","year":"2024","journal-title":"JMIR Public Health Surveill"},{"key":"ref47","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1038\/s43856-025-01230-w","article-title":"Machine learning models predict long COVID outcomes based on baseline clinical and immunologic factors","volume":"6","author":"Jayavelu","year":"2026","journal-title":"Commun Med (Lond)"},{"key":"ref48","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"292","DOI":"10.1111\/jrh.12796","article-title":"SARS-CoV-2 infection and long COVID among California farmworkers","volume":"40","author":"Mora","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Rural Health"},{"key":"ref49","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"220","DOI":"10.1186\/s12939-024-02302-4","article-title":"Barriers and facilitators of healthcare access for long COVID-19 patients in a universal healthcare system: qualitative evidence from Austria","volume":"23","author":"Gamillscheg","year":"2024","journal-title":"Int J Equity Health"},{"key":"ref50","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e24096","DOI":"10.1016\/j.heliyon.2024.e24096","article-title":"Decreased risk of COVID-19 and long COVID in patients with psoriasis receiving IL-23 inhibitor: a cross-sectional cohort study from China","volume":"10","author":"Hu","year":"2024","journal-title":"Heliyon"},{"key":"ref51","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1505","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cmi.2024.07.006","article-title":"The efficacy of antivirals, corticosteroids, and monoclonal antibodies as acute COVID-19 treatments in reducing the incidence of long COVID: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"30","author":"Sun","year":"2024","journal-title":"Clin Microbiol Infect"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Public Health"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1774108\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]],"date-time":"2026-08-12T05:59:34Z","timestamp":1786514374000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1774108\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]]},"references-count":51,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1774108"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1774108","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-2565"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-2565","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]]},"article-number":"1774108"}}