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Comparative evaluation of executive functions in patients with a history of COVID-19: objective performance versus self-perception
Comparative evaluation of executive functions in patients with a history of COVID-19: objective performance versus self-perception
Ricardo Juárez-Ruiz 1 
, Pedro Trujillo-Zambrano 2 , Paulina C. Murphy-Ruiz 1, Emilio Arch-Tirado 3 , Ana L. Lino-González 4
1 Servicio de Patología del Lenguaje, Subdirección de Audiología, Foniatría y Patología del Lenguaje, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra, Secretaría de Salud, Ciudad de México, México; 2 Servicio de Audiología Pediátrica, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra, Secretaría de Salud, Ciudad de México, México; 3 Centro Neurológico, Centro Médico ABC Sede Santa Fe, Ciudad de México, México; 4 Área de Neurociencias Clínica, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra, Secretaría de Salud, Ciudad de México, México
*Correspondence: Ana L. Lino-González. Email: ana_onil@yahoo.com.mx
Abstract
Background: COVID-19 can leave neurological and cognitive sequelae.
Objective: To compare self-perceived and objective performance of executive functions in patients with a history of COVID-19.
Material and methods: Cross-sectional, descriptive and comparative study. Thirty-eight volunteers with a perception of good or poor cognitive functioning participated. Chi-square and Student t tests were performed for independent groups, and Spearman correlation and point scatter plot were performed.
Results: The performance on executive functions tests of most participants in both groups was good. A decrease in performance was observed in some tests, especially in the group with negative perception. They presented severe (9.5%) and mild (9.5%) alterations in motor functions, Stroop time interference (4.8%) and category formation (4.8%). The group with positive perception presented mild alteration in category formation (11.8%) and semantic verbal fluency (5.9%). A significant association was found between hospitalization days and oxygen therapy days with performance, and high correlations between age and years of schooling with performance in the group with negative perception.
Conclusions: The group with a perception of poor functioning showed lower performance, and this perception may be related to academic, work, and daily life difficulties.
Keywords: Executive functions. COVID-19. Self-perception. Hospitalization. Oxygen therapy. Dyspnea.
