After recovering from COVID-19, many experience long-term symptoms, including brain fog, fatigue, and skin rashes. This syndrome is known as long COVID, and researchers are in the early stages of understanding its risk factors.
According to the
Even those who did not have COVID-19 symptoms immediately after contracting SARS-CoV-2 can develop long COVID. Symptoms may last for several weeks or months.
Research suggests that at least
- chest imaging abnormalities for 62.2% of people
- general functional impairments for 44%
- fatigue or muscle weakness for 37.5%
- general pain for 32.4%
- generalized anxiety disorder for 29.6%
- sleep disorders for 27%
- difficulty concentrating for 23.8%
Other symptoms include:
- brain fog
- headache
- skin rashes
- fever
- changes to the sense of smell or taste
- diarrhea
Research is emerging on risk factors for long COVID. To help parse through these studies, MNT has summarized some of the main findings so far. We also spoke with three experts on the best ways to mitigate the risk factors for long COVID.
One
- a higher viral load
- the presence of certain autoantibodies that mistakenly attack the body’s own tissues
- reactivation of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)
- having type 2 diabetes
However, the study authors noted that their research might not be conclusive as they could not confirm causation, and their sample size makes it difficult to establish any specific predictors.
Nevertheless, other studies support their findings. One
Another study found that older age, being female, and having preexisting health conditions were also linked to long COVID.
“Clinical risk factors are largely related to the severity of illness, duration of hospitalization, age at the time of infection, and preexisting comorbidities, such as lung disease, asthma, diabetes, etc.,” Prof. Elizabeta Mukaetova-Ladinska, a professor of psychiatry of old age at the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom, told Medical News Today.
“Thus, the severity of the SARS-CoV-2 infection can increase the risk for long COVID by nearly fourfold, preexisting lung disease and asthma increase the likelihood [by] six- [and] nearly 10-fold, respectively, whereas age increases the risk by 67%,” she added.
“In addition, female sex and age under 50 years are now also
Prof. Mukaetova-Ladinska further explained that lower levels of
She also said that
Source: Medical News Today
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