22 Oct Long-COVID Symptoms in More Than Half of COVID-19 Patients

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Destin Groff, BA
Ashley Sun BA
Department of Surgery

and Paddy Ssentongo MD PhD
Department of Public Health Sciences
Center for Neural Engineering
Department of Engineering, Science and Mechanics
The Pennsylvania State University, State College

Penn State College of Medicine and
Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
Hershey, Pennsylvania 

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?

Response: Most people who get sick from COVID-19 will survive. However, the burden of long-term consequences among the survivors is not well-characterized. That is what inspired this study. 

MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings?

Response: After compiling data from 57 studies involving 250,351 unvaccinated individuals, our study shows that more than half of those worldwide who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 experience six months after recovering. The most common sequelae involve functional mobility impairments, pulmonary abnormalities, and mental health disorders, including memory deficits, concentration difficulty, post-traumatic stress disorders, depression, and anxiety.

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?

Response: These results highlight that battling COVID19 doesn’t necessarily end as quickly as other infections. The prevalence of long-COVID syndrome can occur on a scale sufficient to overwhelm existing health care capacity, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This highlights the need for clear guidelines for post-infection management and care. “One-stop” multidisciplinary treatment settings for long-COVID are recommended.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this work?

Response: While we have learned a lot regarding the long-term outcomes of COVID-19, future studies can continue this investigation by analyzing long-term outcomes according to initial symptom severity and differences between patients hospitalized relative to those who remained outpatient. Additionally, obtaining universal consensus on a definition for post-acute COVID-19 health complications will enhance future studies.

Citation:

Groff D, Sun A, Ssentongo AE, et al. Short-term and Long-term Rates of Postacute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Systematic Review. JAMA Netw Open. 2021;4(10):e2128568. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.28568

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Last Updated on October 22, 2021 by Marie Benz MD FAAD