Symptoms of Covid can last for at least 6 months, Wuhan study finds

Symptoms of Covid-19 can persist for up to six months, according to a study published in the medical journal The Lancet on Friday, which examined some of the first people hospitalized with the disease.

The study focused on 1,733 people who were hospitalized for Covid-19 in Wuhan, China – where the coronavirus was first detected – from last January to May. Many were hospitalized before the disease even had a name.

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About three-quarters of patients reported persistent symptoms six months after their initial diagnosis. Sixty-three percent said they still had fatigue or muscle weakness, 23 percent cited anxiety or depression, and 26 percent reported trouble sleeping.

“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,” Dr. Bin Cao, author of the study and deputy director of the Center for Respiratory Diseases of the China-Japan Friendship Hospital in Beijing, said in a statement.

This was, however, an observational study, which means that it is impossible to link these symptoms directly to the coronavirus. In order to show a genuine link, studies should compare the results of Covid-19 to those hospitalized for similar infections that could also cause pneumonia.

“I would have liked to see data on patients admitted with something other than Covid-19 during this time,” said Dr Hana El Sahly, associate professor of molecular virology and microbiology and medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston . She did not participate in the new research.

“Being admitted with pneumonia can be a traumatic event for anyone,” El Sahly said, adding that it is not uncommon for these patients to have persistent symptoms.

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The study also found that people with the most severe cases still had difficulty breathing six months later. More than half of those who needed a ventilator for their illness subsequently suffered from a condition that reduced the flow of oxygen from the lungs to the bloodstream. And they were more likely to struggle to complete a walking endurance test.

But it is not known whether this alteration in lung function is the result of the virus or related to an underlying health problem. Although the study participants were all hospitalized, few were admitted to the intensive care unit, meaning the results may not apply to the sickest patients.

“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,” Cao said. He added that the research could be used to highlight the need for increased care for patients with Covid-19 even after discharge from hospital.

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