The loss of nerve fibers and an increase in the number of immune cells in the cornea of the eye are accompanied by persistent complications after COVID-19, new data show. A corneal examination can help diagnose people with this problem.
The so-called long covid is associated with a number of different, potentially serious symptoms that persist for more than 4 weeks after the acute phase of the disease, explain the authors of a new study published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology. Long covid, they say, can affect up to one in ten infected people. At the same time, research suggests that damage to small nerve fibers is involved in the development of this condition.
With this in mind, researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar looked at the corneas of forty volunteers with the help of corneal confocal microscopy (CCM). The cornea is a transparent organ located on the surface of the eye that covers the pupil and iris, and its main task is to focus light initially.
With the help of CCM, corneal damage related to diabetes, multiple sclerosis or fibromyalgia is already diagnosed.
Volunteers in the study underwent COVID-19. They recovered from its acute phase from one month to six months before the examination. They filled out a questionnaire which allowed them to determine whether they were suffering from “Covid debts”.
In 55 percent of patients 4 weeks after recovery from COVID-19, neurological symptoms were present, and 22 weeks after recovery, they affected 45% of patients. participants.
At the same time 55 percent. volunteers experienced symptoms of pneumonia, 28 percent. had pneumonia, but did not require the use of oxygen, 10 percent was admitted to the hospital and received oxygen, and 8 percent. was admitted to the intensive care unit with pneumonia.
Corneal scans showed that patients with neurological symptoms present 4 weeks after recovery had damage to the nerve fibers of the eye surface and more dendritic cells.
Dendritic cells play a key role in the immune response, trapping antigens and presenting them to other cells.
Those without neurological symptoms had a similar number of fibers to those who hadn’t had the infection, but had more dendritic cells as well.
The study was observational and showed no cause-effect relationships. It also had – as its authors admit – weak points, such as a relatively small number of volunteers, lack of long-term observation or reliance on questionnaires.
Nevertheless, the researchers say: “To our knowledge, this is the first study to show nerve loss and an increase in dendritic cells in the corneas of patients who have recovered from Covid-19. This was especially true of people who had persistent symptoms of long covid. We showed that in long covid patients there was evidence of damage to small nerve fibers, which is associated with exacerbation of COVID-19 and neurological and musculoskeletal symptoms. ‘
“Confocal corneal microscopy could find clinical application as a rapid, objective ophthalmic test to evaluate patients with long covid,” the researchers add.
Author: Marek Matacz
Have you been infected with COVID-19 and are worried about the side effects? Check your health by performing a comprehensive test package for convalescents.
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