New Study Explains About Lasting Symptoms of COVID-19 in UK

Jul, 2021 - By SMI

A study conducted by a team of researchers from the U.K. revealed about the persistent symptoms of long-COVID in individuals effected with acute COVID-19

Long COVID means the effects of COVID-19 that continues for weeks or months even after initial recovery from illness. According to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, long COVID lasts for more than 12 weeks. More importantly, a wide range of symptoms are reported following the infection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

 In this study, a team of researchers performed a community-based study in over half a million people, especially adult population aged 18 years and older in England. One-fifth of the respondents reported that there is a significant decline in symptoms during the first 12 weeks following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Out of 76,155 symptomatic respondents, 37.7% experienced at least one symptom post COVID-19, while around 15% experienced three or more symptoms, which lasted for 12 weeks and longer. The researchers in the current study identified the risk factors such as obesity, hospitalization, owing to COVID-19, and increasing risk with age for persistent symptoms at 12 weeks or beyond, which suggests long COVID.

Additionally, the researchers found evidence about increased risk of long COVID in lower-income population, healthcare workers, and others. They divided the respondents into two categories: larger cluster and smaller cluster. The smaller cluster experienced a higher prevalence of respiratory and related symptoms while the larger cluster complained about tiredness and a few with organ-specific symptoms.

The findings of the study shed light on high prevalence of persistent symptoms, which lasts 12 weeks or beyond post-acute COVID-19 infection. This is concerning for those patients who belong to low-income categories and thus, this study highlights about the need for specialized services.