The coronavirus can attack almost all organs of the body. Reason? Here’s what is known

Complications from COVID-19 can affect almost all organs. Worldwide research is starting to reveal why this is happening. In other words, which is why the respiratory SARS-CoV-2 virus can damage various tissues and organs. This was reported by the journal “The Scientist”.

1. At the start of the pandemic, doctors expected that the coronavirus infection would mainly cause respiratory discomfort. However, it soon turned out that the complications of the new disease concern not only the lungs
2. Changes in blood, heart, kidneys, intestines, brain, pancreas, eyes and other parts of the body were documented. 
3. Prof. Katarzyna Wieczorowska-Tobis from the Medical University in Poznań explained recently that the prolonged COVID-19 disease, the so-called long COVID, almost all organs can be affected
4. Why can SARS-CoV-2 damage various tissues and organs, not only those related to the respiratory system? Scientists understand these mechanisms more and more
5. More information can be found on the TvoiLokony home page

Mechanism of complications after COVID-19. What have the scientists discovered?

In the spring of 2020, during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors expected mainly respiratory ailments, in severe cases requiring connection to a ventilator. Hence, the provision of an adequate number of breathing devices was of paramount importance at that time. However, it soon turned out that the complications of the new disease concern not only the lungs.

1. Symptoms that predict long COVID-19. These people are most at risk

So far, over 2 million have been infected with the SARS-CoV-100 virus. people. This number continues to grow, and damage caused by the virus has already contributed to over 3 million. deaths. Changes in blood, heart, kidneys, intestines, brain and other parts of the body were documented. Some studies show that nearly a third of all COVID-19 patients experience these symptoms, and in the case of critically ill people – more than two-thirds.

Patient studies, post-mortem studies, and experiments with human cells and tissues have revealed a lot about the mechanisms of complications.

1. “COVID Long Tail” can attack all organs. What is the threat and who is the most affected?

It turned out that receptors called ACE2 and TMPRSS2, used by SARS-CoV-2 to enter our cells, are widely distributed in human cells. PCR testing revealed the presence of viral RNA in various tissues, suggesting that SARS-CoV-2 can infect cells outside the respiratory system, although direct evidence of such infection is still limited. It is possible that the cause of the complications is rather infection-related uncontrolled immune response and blood clotting.

Blood clots are one of the most common complications after COVID-19

One of the most common complications of COVID-19 is blood clots of various sizes. At the beginning of the pandemic, patients in intensive care units in China, France and Italy had blood clots obstructing large vessels in the lungs and limbs. According to some studies, nearly half of all critically ill patients could be affected.

Subsequent studies have found blood clots in many COVID-19 patients also in the small arteries and capillaries of the lungs, as well as in the vessels of other organs such as the heart, kidneys, brain and liver. In seriously ill patients, high levels of D-dimers, i.e. fragments of proteins that signal the presence of blood clots, were detected.

1. The six most common symptoms of thrombosis [EXPLAIN]

The cause of blood clots is not clear. There is evidence that by using ACE2 receptors, the virus can directly infect vascular endothelial cells and platelets (clots form from these platelets), but clotting can also be triggered by an abnormal immune response. Perhaps it is both.

Either way, infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus leads to damage to the vascular system and blood vessel dysfunction known as endotheliopathy, which can lead to clotting. For example, in the heart, the main features of SARS-CoV-2 infection are vasculitis and endothelial cell damage and dysfunction.

Prevention of blood clots after COVID-19. What is known?

The growing number of patients with clotting problems has prompted doctors to try blood-thinning medications. The three international clinical trials on this subject are REMAP-CAP, ACTIV-4 and ATTACC. Intermediate results obtained so far include data from more than 1000 patients in 300 hospitals worldwide and suggest that blood thinning medications lead to worse outcomes in people with severe COVID-19 by increasing the likelihood of serious bleeding but at the same time reducing complications in hospitalized patients on average. though not yet admitted to the intensive care unit.

It seems that in milder cases of COVID-19, preventing blood clots can help combat more serious problems, but there is a threshold at which a patient’s blood vessels are already damaged and filled with clots, and blood thinning medications raise a dangerously risk of bleeding. Contrary to appearances, the increased risk of blood clots does not necessarily exclude the increased risk of bleeding. Either way, the observation that blood thinning drugs can stop the progression of the disease in milder cases suggests a role for blood clotting.

COVID-19 damages the kidneys. What is happening and why?

The damaging effects of COVID-19 on the kidneys also became apparent at the beginning of the pandemic. People with chronic kidney disease who require dialysis or a kidney transplant are particularly at high risk of developing severe disease and dying from COVID-19. But even in patients with no history of kidney disease, acute kidney damage has emerged as a key complication of severe COVID-19. Some early observational studies found that up to two-thirds of hospitalized COVID-19 patients experienced kidney-related complications. Usually it was blood or high levels of protein in the urine, indicating kidney damage, but in some cases dialysis was required and the likelihood of death increased.

Autopsies showed signs of blood clotting and inflammation, as well as viral RNA in the tubules – the structures of the kidneys that remove excess fluid, salt, and other waste products from the body. The presence of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in the urine suggests that the virus infects urinary tract cells directly, but indirect infection effects as well as genetic factors are involved. It is not known whether the acute complications of COVID-19 can lead to chronic kidney disease and the need for dialysis over time.

The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus damages the intestines

Another serious complication that emerged in the first months of the pandemic was intestinal damage. An early meta-analysis covering 4 of patients, showed gastrointestinal symptoms, such as loss of appetite, diarrhea and nausea in about 17%. sick. There are many indications that it may be the direct effect of the virus on the digestive system.

For example, studies from Massachusetts General Hospital (USA) on people admitted to the ICU in March and May 2020 for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) showed that the incidence of gastrointestinal complications in patients with severe COVID-19 was 74 percent, i.e. almost twice as much as 37 percent. seen in the ARDS group but no infection. Patients with COVID-19 often have high levels of the ACE2 receptor in their digestive tract cells, and scientists have detected SARS-CoV-2 RNA in stool samples and digestive tissues.

1. This is how the coronavirus works on the intestines. Pocovid irritable bowel syndrome. Symptoms

Whether SARS-CoV-2 replicates in the gastrointestinal tract has yet to be confirmed. The virus fragments may have simply been ingested, but the researchers also detected viral messenger RNAs in the gut fragments that carry instructions for building proteins – suggesting that the virus is indeed replicating there. Examination of the gastrointestinal tissues also showed some signs of clotting, especially in the small vessels.

Other complications after COVID-19. Eye, ear and pancreas injuries, stroke

For other parts of the body, for example, COVID-19 has been documented to be associated with heart failure, stroke, seizures, and sensory disturbances. Researchers also identified damage to the eyes, ears and pancreas. Also in these cases, it is not yet known whether these symptoms come directly from a virus that infects the cells, or whether they may be a consequence of an inflammatory reaction or blood clotting.

Despite research around the world, it is still unclear what the long-term effects of COVID-19 infection will be. We also do not know what the mechanism of “long COVID” is.

PAP / Paweł Wernicki

You may be interested in:

1. “Brain fog” attacks not only after COVID-19. When can it occur? Seven situations
2. COVID-19 symptoms – what are the most common symptoms now?
3. The role of masks is growing. Infector: the situation has changed. What does it mean?

The content of the medTvoiLokony website is intended to improve, not replace, the contact between the Website User and their doctor. The website is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Before following the specialist knowledge, in particular medical advice, contained on our Website, you must consult a doctor. The Administrator does not bear any consequences resulting from the use of information contained on the Website. Do you need a medical consultation or an e-prescription? Go to halodoctor.pl, where you will get online help – quickly, safely and without leaving your home.