Topline
Half of the patients who were infected with Covid-19 in Wuhan, China during the coronavirus outbreak, had continued health problems 12 months later. A number of these patients still have symptoms of impaired lung function and abnormalities. Research published in the Lancet Thursday highlighted the debilitating effects that Covid-19 can cause in patients, sometimes for several weeks or months.
The study revealed that almost half of the patients admitted to Covid hospitals still have issues one year later. AFP via Getty Images
The Key Facts
Peer-reviewed research found that survivors of Covid-19 infection in Wuhan were in worse health one year after their initial hospitalization. Although most patients were able to recover from their symptoms within one year, only 49% of those who had been hospitalized with Covid-19 in Wuhan experienced any persistent symptoms. Fatigue or muscle weakness was the most common symptom reported by 20% of patients. The researchers found that nearly one third of patients still had shortness of breath after a year. A smaller number of patients underwent chest CT scans or lung function tests. Significant numbers of these patients showed lung abnormalities and impaired function. These measurements were not comparable to those taken six months ago. Patients who required ventilation were more likely to experience these problems. 54% of patients had poor lung function, while 87% had abnormal scans. However, they were not uncommon in patients who didn't require help breathing. 39% had abnormal lung function and 39% had impaired lung function. The study found that the proportion of patients who have recovered from mental illness was slightly higher than the percentage at six months. 26% reported experiencing anxiety and depression at twelve months, which is three points more than the 6 month point. This is significantly higher than the reports of those who did not receive Covid-19 (5%). Hospitalized survivors reported more pain and discomfort (12%) than those who had not received Covid-19 (5%). They also reported more mobility problems (9%) as compared to the 4% group.
Important Background
It is not clear why people with Covid-19 experience symptoms for several months or even weeks after they have been infected. There are many symptoms that can be debilitating and sometimes severe. One study found over 200. This shows that Covid-19 is not a simple respiratory disease. The risk of developing long Covid may not be apparent for several weeks or even months. There is no strong association between disease severity and other risk factors (e.g. age) that are usually associated with Covid-19. Experts warn about the dangers of long Covid. The delta variant spreads quickly through unvaccinated individuals, including children and younger adults. They are still susceptible to long-term illness even though they are less likely than others to become seriously ill or die from Covid-19. This is also true for those who have been fully vaccinated and who develop breakthrough infections. Although the Wuhan study was small and limited (it only included hospitalized patients), it is consistent with other research that highlights the long-term effects of Covid-19. Wuhan's findings also reflect the location where the virus was first discovered and the first victims treated. This gives Wuhan another perspective on the lingering effects.
Important Quote
Lancet published an editorial that accompanied the paper. It stressed the need to better understand long Covid. Many millions could be affected by symptoms such as chronic fatigue, depression, breathlessness, brain fog and brain fog. The editorial stated that there is little information about Covid. It has a significant impact on society from increased health-care costs and economic and productivity loss. Long Covid is a medical problem of the first order.
What we don't know
Xiaoying Gu from the Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences at China-Japan Friendship Hospital Beijing, one of the authors of the papers, stated that it is unknown why psychiatric symptoms are more common at one-year than at six-months in Covid-19 survivors. Gu also said that long-term, large-scale studies of survivors are necessary to better understand the long-term health effects of Covid-19.
Continue reading
Here's what we know about Long Covid, the debilitating and persistent illness that could affect millions of people (Forbes).
Long Covid Causes More Than 200 Symptoms and Leaves 1 in 5 People Unable to Work, according to a Study (Forbes).
As a result of Long COVID (Scientific American), a tsunami of disability is coming
1-year outcomes of hospital survivors with COVID-19: A longitudinal cohort study (Lancet).
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