Long COVID continues to baffle experts and affects millions globally. This condition involves persistent symptoms like exhaustion, difficulty breathing, and confusion long after the initial COVID-19 infection.
A recent UK study adds new pieces to the puzzle, revealing that a significant number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 have irregularities in multiple organs even months post-infection.
This article delves into the essentials of the study and what it means for understanding long COVID in more straightforward terms.
In this groundbreaking research published in a medical journal, scientists used advanced imaging to study different organs in people who had been hospitalized due to COVID-19. They compared 259 adults infected with the virus to 52 who were not infected.
The results showed that nearly one-third of the infected adults had abnormalities in more than one organ, an average of five months after their hospital discharge.
Those who had been hospitalized with the virus had a higher likelihood of having irregularities in the lungs and brain.
However, the heart and liver seemed to hold up better. People with these abnormalities reported a significant decline in both mental and physical capabilities, impacting their daily lives.
What Does This Mean for People?
These findings are crucial for understanding how and why long COVID symptoms persist and can help in developing targeted treatments and strategies for those affected.
The abnormalities found in the organs of patients may be responsible for the extensive range of lingering symptoms experienced in long COVID.
However, the study doesn’t imply a reason for panic but instead provides vital information for devising ways to help long COVID sufferers.
Knowing more about how the virus affects various organs enables medical professionals to find more effective treatments and support for people struggling with the lasting impacts of the virus.
This study was conducted before the widespread availability of vaccines and does not include information on the Omicron variants, which are currently predominant.
Also, the group that had COVID was slightly older and generally less healthy compared to the control group. Researchers made adjustments to consider these differences.
Despite the rollout of vaccinations and the presence of less severe variants, people continue to be hospitalized due to the virus, underlining the ongoing relevance of these findings.
This research contributes valuable, concrete evidence regarding the changes in multiple organs post-COVID hospitalization.
Conclusion
Understanding long COVID is like solving a complex puzzle, with experts globally trying to piece together how and why symptoms persist for some people.
The recent UK study has shed light on the significant irregularities in multiple organs found in people hospitalized with COVID-19, months after their initial infection.
This revelation is crucial for the development of targeted treatment strategies and provides hope for a better quality of life for long COVID sufferers.
The continuous efforts of scientists and medical professionals worldwide are fundamental in uncovering more about this condition and how best to support those affected by the lingering impact of this unprecedented virus.
If you care about Covid-19, please read studies about new ways to prevent the common cold (and maybe COVID-19), and common diabetes drugs linked to less severe COVID-19.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about COVID infection and vaccination linked to heart disease, and results showing extracts from two wild plants can inhibit the COVID-19 virus.
The research findings can be found in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.
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