According to a new study published in the prestigious medical journal MedRxiv, fatigue, post-exertional malaise, and cognitive dysfunction known as "brain fog" are the most commonly reported long-term symptoms by COVID-19 patients six months after infection.
Researchers found that most individuals who contracted and recovered from COVID-19 experienced relapses, manifesting as fatigue and brain fog. Many reported being unable to work at their full capacity as they did before contracting the virus. Athens Akrami, the lead author of the study and a neuroscientist at King’s College London, tweeted, "We believe it is vital at this time to gather and provide a comprehensive dataset reflecting the experiences of patients suffering from long-term symptoms after COVID-19 infection."
It is noteworthy that most COVID-19 patients recover from infection within a few weeks of diagnosis. However, an increasing number of people have reported symptoms lasting for months, affecting various internal organs. This new study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, is one of the largest studies investigating the long-term symptoms and effects of the virus.
During the study, information was collected from over 3,700 people across 56 countries who had contracted COVID-19 between 2019 and May 2020. Overall, participants reported 205 symptoms targeting 10 body systems, and 66 symptoms were tracked over seven months post-diagnosis. On average, study participants experienced nine different symptoms affecting various body organs. About 65% of participants reported symptoms lasting at least six months, often including fatigue, malaise after physical activity, and brain fog. They also highlighted sensations such as neurological symptoms, headaches, memory problems, muscle pain, insomnia, palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, balance issues, and speech problems. Less common symptoms included facial paralysis, new allergies, seizures, vision and hearing impairments, and prolonged loss of taste and smell.
Approximately 45% of study participants indicated they still needed a reduced work schedule, while 22% reported they were no longer able to work at all due to ongoing health issues. Additionally, since study participants were recruited from support groups and health experts, the data may not necessarily represent the entire population of COVID-19 patients suffering from long-term symptoms. Nevertheless, the study provides insight into the ongoing struggles faced by COVID-19 patients even after recovery.
Danny Altmann, a professor of immunology at Imperial College London, told The Guardian, "This is a chapter not yet written in medical textbooks, and hardly any major papers have been published on this matter so far. Part of what this study has achieved is simply entering large numbers and statistics into the current narrative of what is happening; it is something new to us. Furthermore, no one can address the situation until we can tell what is happening in a better and more detailed way."
It is noteworthy that study authors have called for long-term follow-up programs for patient care and additional studies to understand the full impact of COVID-19 on the brain and body. They also found that long-term neurological symptoms appeared to be common even among patients with mild symptoms.
