Pedro Trujillo-Zambrano, Subdirección de Audiología, Foniatría y Patología del Lenguaje, Servicio de Patología del Lenguaje Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra (INR LGII), Ciudad de México, México
Ricardo Juárez-Ruiz, Subdirección de Audiología, Foniatría y Patología del Lenguaje, Servicio de Patología del Lenguaje Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra (INR LGII), Ciudad de México, México
Paulina C. Murphy-Ruiz, Subdirección de Audiología, Foniatría y Patología del Lenguaje, Servicio de Patología del Lenguaje Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra (INR LGII), Ciudad de México, México
Emilio Arch-Tirado, Centro Neurológico, Centro Médico ABC, Ciudad de México, México
Ana L. Lino-González, Subdirección de Investigación Biomédica, Neurociencias Clínicas, INR LGII, Ciudad de México, México
Background: Recovered COVID-19 patients have shown a decrease in cognitive performance, with memory alterations being particularly prominent. Objective: To objectively compare memory performance in patients with a history of COVID-19 and self-perception of good or poor memory function. Method: Cross-sectional, descriptive, and comparative study. Sociodemographic characteristics and memory function data were obtained from 38 volunteers with a history of COVID-19 who self-perceived good or poor memory function. Chi-square and Student’s t-tests were used to compare performance between groups. Correlations between age, years of education, and memory performance were examined, and tetra-variable histograms were constructed. Results: Significant differences were found between groups in the logical memory stories and name recall subtests, as well as in anosmia, fatigue, and rhinorrhea. Days of oxygen therapy showed a difference between groups (14.8 vs. 3.4) without reaching significance. A correlation was found between age, years of education, and memory performance. Conclusion: Decreased memory function was observed, particularly in patients who reported poor self-perception of memory function. The presence of dyspnea and the need for oxygen therapy appear to contribute to memory impairment.
Keywords: COVID-19. Memory. Self-perception of memory. Oxygen therapy. Dyspnea.