New Research Revealed That Among 59% Of Patients With Long COVID, Organ Damage Persisted A Year After Symptom Onset
A recent comprehensive study published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine analyzed organ impairment among patients with long COVID for 12 months.
The analysis found that in 59% of patients, organ damage continued one year after the initial symptom onset– even among patients who were not severely impacted when initially diagnosed with COVID-19.
The research focused on patients experiencing cognitive dysfunction, extreme breathlessness, and poor quality of life.
A total of 536 long COVID patients participated in the study. About 13% experienced hospitalization when initially diagnosed with the virus; meanwhile, 32% of the study participants were healthcare workers.
Of the group, 331 patients– or 62%– were deemed to have organ impairment six months after COVID-19 diagnosis.
So, they were followed up with six months later, at which time they underwent a 40-minute multi-organ MRI scan known as Perspectum’s CoverScan. The results were then assessed in Oxford.
The team found that 29% of long COVID patients had multi-organ impairment– resulting in lasting symptoms and reduced organ function at both six and twelve months.
Additionally, 59% of patients with long COVID were found to have single organ impairment after their initial diagnosis 12 months prior.
According to Amitava Banerjee, a professor of clinical data science, symptoms were common at both six and 12 months. They were also associated with younger age, female gender, and single organ impairment.
Kenstocker – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual person
The study also reported that between six and 12 months, there was a reduction in symptoms. Extreme breathlessness dropped from affecting 38% of patients to 30%, cognitive dysfunction decreased from 48% to 38%, and poor quality of life declined from 57% to 45%.
There have been various past studies confirming the persistence of symptoms among long COVID patients for up to one year.
“We now add that three in five people with long COVID have impairment in at least one organ, and one in four have impairment in two or more organs, in some cases without symptoms,” Banerjee said.
This sparks major concern for individuals’ quality of life, as well as the impact on health systems and economies when time off work is required– particularly among healthcare workers.
“Many healthcare workers in our study had no prior illness, but of 172 participants, 19 were still symptomatic at follow-up and off work at a median of 180 days,” Banerjee revealed.
Still, the mechanisms that underlie long COVID have remained puzzling– since the researchers did not find any evidence to distinctly define long COVID subtypes via symptoms, blood tests, or MRIs.
So, the team has advocated for future research and integrated care that considers the relationship between symptoms and multi-organ impairment.
“Organ impairment in long COVID has implications for symptoms, quality of life, and longer-term health, signaling the need for prevention and integrated care for long COVID patients.”
To read the study’s complete findings, visit the link here.
If true crime defines your free time, this is for you: join Chip Chick’s True Crime Tribe
Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox.
More About:Science