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Millions of people who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 still suffer from prolonged symptoms.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working to paint a complete picture of long-term COVID, a condition syndrome that persists after suffering from COVID-19, but full understanding remains elusive.
“An increasing number of people previously infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, have reported persistent symptoms or long-term symptoms, ≥4 weeks after acute COVID-19; these symptoms are commonly referred to as conditions after COVID or long-term COVID, ”the CDC said in a recent weekly report on morbidity and mortality (MMWR).
The report adds that COVID-19 survivors are twice as likely to develop a lung clot, also known as a pulmonary embolism or other lung problem. And among those who survived COVID-19, one in five between the ages of 18 and 64 and one in four aged 65 and over had at least one condition that could be due to a previous infection. with COVID-19.
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The agency organizes symptoms of the condition into several categories, including general symptoms such as fatigue, respiratory symptoms such as shortness of breath, heart symptoms such as chest pain or rapid heartbeat, and neurological symptoms, including what is called “brain fog.”
“Some people with conditions after COVID have symptoms that cannot be explained by tests,” the CDC said. “People with post-COVID conditions can experience health problems of different types and combinations of symptoms that occur at different times.
Anyone who has had COVID-19 can experience this condition, as a recent analysis of private insurance claims found that more than 75% of long-term patients with COVID were not hospitalized due to their initial illness. The researchers looked at data from the first four months after a special diagnostic code for the condition was created last year.
Atlanta, Georgia, USA – August 28, 2011: Close-up of the entrance sign for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A sign located near Block 1700 on Clifton Road in Atlanta, Georgia, on the campus of Emory University. Vertical composition. (iStock)
Estimates vary depending on the proportion who develop long-term COVID-19, but approximately 13% develop the syndrome after one month of initial infection, 2.5% develop the condition at three months based on self-report, and more than 30% of hospitalized develop long-term Symptoms of COVID-19 at 6 months, according to the CDC.
Some people are more at risk for long-term COVID, including those who have experienced severe COVID-19 disease, those with chronic medical problems before having COVID-19, those who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19, and those affected from health inequalities, such as some racial and ethnic minority groups and people with disabilities, according to the CDC.
However, the UK Health Security Agency analyzed eight studies examining the effects of vaccines on long-term COVID and found that two out of eight had inconclusive evidence that vaccination reduced the risk of developing long-term COVID, according to their briefing.
Another study of 209 patients in Cell suggested high levels of coronavirus in the bloodstream at the onset of infection, and the presence of specific antibodies that accidentally attack our own tissues, known as autoantibodies, may increase the risk of prolonged COVID.
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The study also found that the virus, which is well known to cause mononucleosis in most people during childhood, known as Epstein-Barr virus, which usually remains latent after initial infection, is another possible risk factor by reactivation in adulthood. age in those who have a long time COVID.
The exact cause of prolonged COVID is not known, but some studies show that an overactive immune response to the initial infection can lead to prolonged symptoms of COVID, said Dr. Michael Peluso, an infectious disease physician at the University of California, San Francisco.
“We know that during acute COVID-19, some people have a really strong immune response, and some people have a reduced immune response, and that response can determine the trajectory of how well someone is doing,” he said.
Some studies show that approximately 60% of all long-term patients with COVID are women, consistent with other long-term conditions with similar symptoms, such as chronic fatigue syndrome, according to the Times.
Recent studies show long peaks in COVID around middle age, with a recent Northwestern study of the top 100 patients treated for neurological symptoms in a clinic after COVID-19 found the peak age of the condition at 43 years of age.
There is no single test for diagnosing long-term COVID-19, but the CDC notes that the healthcare provider should consider the diagnosis based on the patient’s medical history, including a diagnosis of COVID-19 by a positive test or by symptoms or exposure combined with a physical exam.
But some will also develop new health problems after the initial illness, the agency said.
Sick young man in bed, covered with a light gray blanket, surrounded by used handkerchiefs
A recent Scottish study published in Nature Medicine found that one in eight hospitalized patients with COVID-19 between May 2020 and March 2021 was later diagnosed with myocarditis or heart inflammation, while damage to other organs, such as kidneys is also common.
COVID-19 is a multisystem disease and our study shows that injuries to the heart, lungs and kidneys can be seen after the initial [hospitalization] in scanning and blood tests, “said Colin Berry, lead researcher and professor of cardiology and diagnostic imaging at the University of Glasgow.
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“The best way to prevent post-COVID-19 conditions is to protect yourself and others from becoming infected. For eligible people, vaccinating and updating COVID-19 vaccines can help prevent COVID-19 infection and prevent serious disease, “the CDC said.
If you have had COVID for a long time, click here if you are eligible to participate in the RECOVER study of the National Institutes of Health.
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