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Signs of multiple organ damage have been reported in young and previously healthy people who have been diagnosed with COVID-19, four months after the initial infection, a British study revealed Sunday.
The findings are a step towards developing treatments for some of the extensive symptoms experienced by people with “prolonged Covid”, which is believed to affect more than 60,000 people in the UK. Fatigue, mental confusion, shortness of breath, and pain are among the most common effects.
On Sunday, the UK’s National Health Service announced that it would launch a network of more than 40 specialist long-standing coronavirus clinics where doctors, nurses and therapists will assess patients’ physical and psychological symptoms.
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The study aims to assess the long-term impact of Covid-19 on the health of the organs of around 500 “low-risk” people through a combination of MRIs, blood tests, physical measurements, and online questionnaires.
Preliminary data suggests that almost 70% of patients suffer from deficiencies in one or more organs, including the heart, lungs, liver and pancreas, four months after contracting the disease. While these deficiencies are mild, 25% of people have effects on two or more organs.
In some cases, there was a correlation between symptoms and organ deterioration. For example, heart or lung deficiencies are correlated with shortness of breath, while liver or pancreas deficiencies are associated with gastrointestinal problems.
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The study has not yet been peer reviewed
However, the study does not prove that the organ disturbances are caused by their ongoing symptoms. For comparison, the researchers are also scanning people who have not had Covid-19 or who have experienced other viral infections such as the flu.
Preliminary data from a separate study of 58 patients who were hospitalized with Covid-19 suggested that 60% of patients experienced abnormalities in the lungs, 29% in the kidneys, 26% have heart disease, and 10% have abnormalities. in the liver, two to three months after the initial infection.
The new findings could affect the way long-term Covid patients are treated, suggesting the need for closer collaboration among medical specialists.
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(Image credits: AP)
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