Hospitalised Covid Patients Have At Least One Of These Symptoms After 6 Months

New Delhi: According to a recent study in The Lancet journal, many Covid positive patients admitted in hospital for treatment have at least one existing symptom after six months of becoming infected with the virus.

In the study, the scientists interviewed the hospitalised patients using questionnaires to assess their symptoms and health-related quality of life. The discharged patients also went through some physical examinations, lab tests and a six-minute walking test to scale their tolerance levels.

The study noted that hospitalised patients who were severely ill more often had impaired lung function and abnormalities detected in chest imaging — which the scientists believe could indicate organ damage six months after symptom onset.

The study looked at the long-term effects Covid infection in 1,733 patients first diagnosed in Wuhan of China between January and May followed to June and September.

Around 400 patients went through further tests, such as an assessment of their lung function and 94 patients whose antibody levels were recorded at the height of infection went through a follow-up test.

The most common symptom to continue in 63 per cent of the cases was muscle weakness, 26 per cent of cases experienced sleep difficulties. Anxiety and depression was also reported among 23 per cent of the cases.

The study noted that hospitalised patients who were severely ill more often had impaired lung function and abnormalities detected in chest imaging — which the scientists believe could indicate organ damage six months after symptom onset.

“Our analysis indicates that most patients continue to live with at least some of the effects of the virus after leaving hospital, and highlights a need for post-discharge care, particularly for those who experience severe infections. Our work also underscores the importance of conducting longer follow-up studies in larger populations in order to understand the full spectrum of effects that COVID-19 can have on people” said study co-author Bin Cao, from National Center for Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital in China.

Around 29 per cent of the patients required supplemental oxygen therapy whereas around 22 per cent of the patients did not require oxygen therapy.

However, the researchers said that it was not possible to determine if symptoms reported during follow-up tests was continuing following the infection, aggravated after recovery, or occurred post recovery.