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The results of a study of COVID-19 recoveries hospitalized in Dublin have been published. Irish researchers traced the long-term symptoms in patients and staff at St James’s Hospital. More than half complained of persistent fatigue. Researchers emphasize a “heavy burden” with symptoms that persist over a long period of time.
- Most often, women report persistent fatigue after they recover from COVID-19
- It is also more common in people who suffered from depression, anxiety or had a more severe early stage of the disease before the infection.
- Symptoms may appear a month or even months after recovery
- Long-term side effects can also occur in people who are mildly ill
- You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page
Mostly women report fatigue after COVID-19
To date, more than 30 million people have contracted the coronavirus worldwide, and at least 943 have died. This publication by Irish scientists responds to a call for increased efforts to research the medium- and long-term effects of the disease.
“The symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection have already been described, but the medium- and long-term effects of the infection are still not fully understood,” said Dr. Liam Townsend, a lecturer at the Trinity Translational Medicine Institute in Dublin.
A study at St James’s Hospital included 128 participants and found 52 percent reported persistent fatigue symptoms. A group of convalescents were interviewed about 10 weeks after a “clinical recovery”.
The preliminary study, which has not yet been reviewed, included 71 hospital patients and 57 workers who had mild infections. The average age of the respondents was 50 years. All participants tested positive for the coronavirus.
The researchers looked at several symptoms, including the course of the disease in its early stages and the patients’ previous condition, such as depression.
It turned out that it didn’t matter whether the patient was hospitalized or not. On the other hand, women, i.e. slightly more than half of the respondents (54%), accounted for two thirds of people reporting long-term fatigue (67%).
People who previously suffered from depression or anxiety have also been found to be at greater risk of prolonged fatigue. However, the authors note that more tests are needed to assess the long-term effects of COVID-19 on patients.
“Our findings also indicate that people who have an acute course of the first phase of COVID-19 are more likely to develop prolonged fatigue after recovery,” concluded Irish doctors.
Chronic fatigue is a very serious problem that can have a destructive impact on everyday functioning. If you have problems with this, use the online teleconsultation with a psychologist at haloDoctor.pl. Find out what the cause of your ailments may be.
COVID-19 long tail
Coronavirus research, presented at a conference by the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, suggests that all cases are “worth further investigation and early intervention”.
As the pandemic covered the entire planet, scientists focused mainly on its immediate consequences, as measured by the number of hospitalizations and deaths. However, COVID-19 can have long-term effects as well. Worldwide, online support groups attract thousands of people seeking advice about the disease.
A July study of Italian convalescents found that 87 percent of them reported at least one symptom of the disease 60 days after infection was confirmed. Fatigue and difficulty breathing were the most frequently mentioned.
Scientists at London’s King’s College who are behind the project to track the long-term effects of COVID-19 estimate that one in 10 people using the coronavirus app will develop symptoms after 30 days, and some after a few months.
– Increasingly, we see evidence of ‘COVID-19 long tail’. Fatigue is one of the most commonly reported side effects. It occurs in both hospitalized patients and those with milder onset symptoms, said Michael Head of the University of Southampton. “The wide range of similar symptoms is a reason to limit viral transmission, even among adolescents who are generally mildly affected.”
See also:
- “Hands, face, space” – Boris Johnson’s message criticized by experts
- The more often we disinfect our hands, the better? Not necessarily
- Coronavirus in children. How do you know when something is wrong? Important advice from a pediatrician
- African countries may already have the peak of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infections
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