COVID-19 patients likely to experience chronic symptoms post hospitalisation: Study

Scientists have found a new pattern of chronic symptoms likely to be experienced by people hospitalised with the COVID-19 infection. According to the study, the symptoms include fatigue, breathlessness, psychological distress, and a general decline in quality of life.

The study was published in the Journal of Medical Virology and identified that the patients who had been in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) had symptoms associated with cases of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 

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Research team followed 100 people

"COVID-19 is a new illness and we have very little information on longer term problems in individuals after discharge from hospital," Manoj Sivan, Associate Clinical Professor at the University of Leeds in the UK told PTI. 

"The emerging evidence is that for some, the road to recovery may take months and it is vital specialist rehabilitation is on hand to support them. This research gives an important insight into patient needs, and that will help shape services in the community," Sivan added.

As per the study, the research team followed 100 people with a history of COVID-19 infection for four-to-eight weeks after being discharged from the hospital. The recovered patients were divided into two groups - 32 people, who were severely ill and needed ICU, and 68 people, who were treated in the general ward. 

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The researchers noted that the majority of the patients who were treated in ICUs reported fatigue. They also noted that the patients who were recovered under general wards also complained of mild fatigue. The study found that the second most common symptom was breathlessness.

According to the researchers, people in both groups said they had feelings of breathlessness that had not existed before they contracted COVID-19. The study added that these problems were higher in the group that had been the more ill.

The researchers said the third most prevalent symptoms were neuropsychological. They also noted that more than two-thirds (68.8 percent) of patients in the ICU group and just under half (45.6 percent) of the other group said their overall quality of life had deteriorated. 

(With PTI Inputs)

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