New Study Finds Lung Problems, Fatigue, and Other Health Issues Persist Two Years after Mild Cases of Covid-19
A recent study published in the journal Nature Medicine has shed light on the long-term effects of Covid-19, revealing that even individuals who experienced mild cases of the virus are at a heightened risk of developing lung problems, fatigue, diabetes, and other health conditions associated with long Covid, up to two years after their initial infection.
This study, believed to be the first of its kind, sought to document the extent to which long Covid symptoms persist beyond the initial months or year following a Covid-19 infection. The findings indicate that individuals who were hospitalized due to severe Covid-19 cases are particularly susceptible to persistent health problems and even death two years after their initial infection. However, even those with mild or moderate cases are not spared from the consequences and show an elevated risk of developing a range of medical conditions compared to those who have never had Covid-19.
The study, conducted using electronic medical records from nearly 139,000 military veterans diagnosed with Covid-19 in the early stages of the pandemic, found that patients who had been hospitalized had a heightened risk of death, subsequent hospitalization, and two-thirds of the medical conditions associated with long Covid. These conditions included cardiovascular issues, blood clotting problems, diabetes, gastrointestinal problems, and kidney disorders. Even individuals with milder cases of Covid-19 displayed an increased risk of medical problems involving various organ systems, such as cardiovascular and gastrointestinal issues, blood clotting, diabetes, fatigue, and lung problems, two years after their infection.
The findings highlight the ongoing burden faced by millions of people in the United States and strain on the country’s healthcare system, despite the cancellation of the coronavirus public health emergency by the federal government and the World Health Organization classifying the pandemic as no longer a public health emergency of international concern.
According to Ziyad Al-Aly, the study’s senior author and a clinical epidemiologist at Washington University School of Medicine, one of the key takeaways from the study is that the virus continues to wreak havoc in the body even years after the initial infection. Al-Aly stresses that many people believe that once they have recovered from Covid-19, they are fine. However, this research shows that Covid-19 does not forget about the individual and can have long-lasting effects.
Long Covid remains a complex syndrome with various symptoms and durations. While some clinicians may still dismiss patients’ complaints, this study, along with a growing body of research, supports the serious nature of long Covid and the impact it has on patients’ quality of life, work, and school performance. Patients suffering from long Covid report a range of symptoms that vary across individuals.
The study’s findings bring both good news and concerns. While some individuals with milder Covid-19 cases gradually experience fewer aftereffects over time, the data also demonstrates that the risks of long-term health problems remain even after one year. The research shows that Covid-19 survivors are still susceptible to medical complications, regardless of the severity of their initial infection.
Francesca Beaudoin, an emergency room physician and director of Brown University’s long Covid initiative, states that the study aligns with what patients have been reporting. Patients often continue to experience a variety of symptoms after recovering from the acute phase of Covid-19, which affects their daily lives, work, and school attendance.
The study notes that its Covid-19 survivor group may not be entirely representative of who is likely to develop long Covid. As the study participants are veterans, they are older than the general population, and the majority are men. This differs from the wider population, where women make up over half of long Covid patients.
Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, adds that the study group had no access to vaccines or antiviral treatments like Paxlovid, as their infections occurred before these additions to the Covid-19 treatment landscape. Additionally, the population studied had not yet developed immune defenses from prior Covid-19 infections. It’s possible that Covid-19 infections occurring at a later stage of the pandemic may have fewer long-term effects due to increased immunity.
Despite the evolving landscape, the study’s findings remain important and relevant. While the study could not predict the future, it is worth noting that the recently emerged omicron variant, which causes long Covid, is not fundamentally different from earlier Covid-19 variants.
This study, funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs, is not part of the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) RECOVER initiative, which aims to address long Covid. Some patient advocates and researchers have expressed disappointment that the initiative has not produced treatments for long Covid despite its $1.2 billion budget.
With over one million deaths and more than 103 million confirmed cases in the United States, it is evident that the long-term effects of Covid-19 will continue to impact individuals and healthcare systems for many years to come.