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More than 75% of coronavirus patients have at least one symptom six months after becoming ill, a new study suggests.
The researchers found that the most common symptom of coronavirus patients was fatigue and muscle weakness, reported in at least two-thirds of patients.
What’s more, of around 400 patients tested for lung function, more than half who needed ventilation had severe scores at six months – which could indicate permanent organ damage.
In addition, antibody levels tested in 100 patients fell by more than half during follow-up, which the team said from the Jin Yin-tan Hospital of the Wuhan Research Center for Diagnosis and treatment of communicable diseases in China, raises questions about the potential for reinfection.
A new study from Jin Yin-tan Hospital in China found that more than 75% of patients reported at least one symptom six months later, with the most common being fatigue and muscle weakness in 63%. Pictured: Dr Thomas Yadegar checks Mindy Cross’s vital signs while her husband Dr Neil Hecht (right) rests in a bed next to her at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center in Tarzana, California, January 2021
Of 100 patients tested for antibody levels, most had levels halved, raising questions about the potential for reinfection (above)
For the study, published in The Lancet, the team looked at 1,733 COVID-19 patients who were discharged from Jin Yin-tan Hospital between January 7 and May 29.
They were followed from June 16 to September 3 with a median of 186 days after the onset of symptoms.
Patients were interviewed in person using questionnaires assessing their symptoms and health-related quality of life.
Additionally, they underwent physical exams, had lab blood tests, and had to complete a six-minute walk test to assess their endurance level.
A total of 76 percent of patients – over 1,200 – reported at least one symptom at follow-up.
The results showed that the most common symptom to persist was fatigue or muscle weakness, found in 63% of patients six months later.
The second most common long-lasting symptom was difficulty sleeping, reported in 26% of patients.
Another 23 percent said they suffered from anxiety or depression long after being diagnosed with COVID-19.
The other most frequently reported symptoms were hair loss and taste disturbance, observed in 22% and 11% of patients, respectively.
Other symptoms reported – in less than 10 percent – included palpitations, joint pain, decreased appetite, taste disturbances, and dizziness.
The researchers also found that patients who had more severe illness when they were hospitalized had reduced lung function.
Of the 349 patients who took a lung function test, 56 percent of those who needed ventilation had the most severe scores on a scale of one to six.
In addition to chest imaging abnormalities, reduced lung function could indicate permanent organ damage.
It wasn’t just seen in the lungs. About 13 percent of patients who had normal kidney function while hospitalized had a reduction during follow-up.
During the six-minute walk test, a third of those who needed mechanical ventilation walked less than the lower end of the normal range.
Finally, the researchers studied the levels of neutralizing antibodies among 94 patients tested at the peak of infection.
The results showed that the levels fell by more than half – 52.5 percent – after six months, raising concerns about the potential for reinfection.
“ Because Covid-19 is such a new disease, we are only beginning to understand some of its long-term effects on the health of patients, ” Professor Bin Cao, National Center for Respiratory Medicine at Chin-Japan Hospital Friendship in Beijing, told the Press Association.
“Our analysis indicates that most patients continue to live with at least some of the effects of the virus after discharge from hospital and highlights the need for post-discharge care, especially for those with severe infections.
“Our work also emphasizes the importance of conducting longer follow-up studies in larger populations in order to understand the full spectrum of effects Covid-19 can have on people.
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