Six months after COVID-19 hospitalization, 76% of patients report symptoms

Six months after COVID-19 hospitalization, 76% of patients report symptoms

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More than three-quarters of COVID-19 patients still show at least one persistent symptom, mostly fatigue and muscle weakness, six months after they start showing symptoms, a new group study published in The Lancet medical journal found Friday.
The study looked at the long-term effects of COVID-19 on 1,733 patients admitted to the hospital in Wuhan, China, which was the first epicenter of the disease.

During the study, all patients underwent interviews to evaluate their symptoms and health-related quality of life, as well as physical examinations, laboratory tests, and a six-minute walk test to determine patient endurance.

In addition, 390 patients underwent further tests, including an assessment of lung function, and 94 patients whose blood antibody levels were recorded at the peak of the infection as part of another trial received a follow-up test.

It was found that of the 76% of patients who experienced at least one persistent symptom, 63% experienced fatigue or muscle weakness, 26% experienced sleep problems, 23% reported anxiety or depression.

The study also found that patients who were seriously ill during their hospitalization were more likely to detect lung function and abnormalities in bust six months later, a possible indication of permanent organ damage.

According to the data, 56% of the patients requiring intubation experienced oxygen flow from their lungs to the bloodstream, and 29% of the patients who had been intubated earlier had difficulty with the six-minute walk test.

In addition, 94 patients whose immune response was tested at the peak of their infection were found to have 52.5% levels of neutralizing antibodies in their blood, raising concerns that reinfection is not only possible through mutation by virus strains, but that patients can also be reinfected. with the same tension they had previously overcome.

The study also found that kidney problems can also occur after COVID-19 infection, with 13% of patients whose kidney function was normal during hospitalization seeing six months of reduced kidney function.

“Because COVID-19 is such a new disease, we are only beginning to understand some of its effects on patients’ long-term health,” said Professor Bin Cao, of the National Center for Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital and Capital said. Medical University.

“Our analysis indicates that most patients continue to live with at least some of the effects of the virus after leaving the hospital, and emphasizes the need for care after discharge, especially for those who experience severe infections,” said prof. Cao said.

“Our work also emphasizes the importance of conducting longer follow-up studies in larger populations to understand the full spectrum of effects that COVID-19 may have on humans,” he added.

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