☣ Coronavirus ☣ - TTLG Forums

Azaran on 22/9/2022 at 17:22

(https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/health/canadian-study-finds-most-long-covid-patients-recover-within-a-year-434292)

Quote:

Most people infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus recover within 12 months, irrespective of the severity, according to a study.

Although 75 per cent people in the study recovered at the 12-month mark after becoming ill with the virus, 25 per cent of patients still had at least one of the three most common symptoms, including coughing, fatigue and breathlessness, the researchers said.

Long-COVID conditions can include a wide range of ongoing health problems that can last weeks, months, or longer.

The team led by researchers at the McMaster University in Canada also found that patients with persistent symptoms had antibodies associated with autoimmune illnesses, as well as raised levels of cytokines, which cause inflammation.

The study, published in the European Respiratory Journal, surveyed 106 people recovering from COVID-19 infections at three, six and 12 months after contracting the disease.

“Generally, one should not worry if they are feeling unwell right after their infection, as the chances of recovering within 12 months is very high, and just because you have typical long COVID symptoms at three months does not mean they will stay forever,” said Manali Mukherjee, senior author of the study.

“However, the study highlights that at 12 months, if you still feel unwell and the symptoms are persisting or worsening, you should definitely seek medical attention,” Mukherjee said.

In patients who recovered, a reduction in autoantibodies and cytokines was matched by their symptoms improving, the researchers said.

Those who had elevated antibody and cytokine levels after one year were those whose symptoms persisted, they said.

“Sometimes, while the body is fighting the virus, the immune system gets so amped up that, in addition to making antibodies that kill the virus, it can produce those that attack the host,” said Mukherjee.

“However, the general tendency of the body after it fights a severe virus like SARS-COV2, is to recover, and its often paced out varying from individual to individual,” the scientist added.

Pyrian on 23/9/2022 at 01:08

They say that like it's a good thing, but 25% of people being still sick a full year later is kinda terrifying.

demagogue on 23/9/2022 at 01:55

My dysautonomia symptoms (which I read is the most common profile) went on from the end of March until around the end of September with a fade out from there. I think January was the last big hurrah for it. And then there was a relapse around mid~late summer this year just for about 2 weeks, right at the peak of our 2nd wave, which I guess had something to do with it. The thing is, even when it ends, there are remnants of it still lingering even now, which aren't incapacitating any more, but kind of knock the wind out of me on any given day.

What's sobering is 25% of the population suddenly only doing half or less of the work they're used to doing for that long. I have to imagine that's going to wreck not just the economy but a lot of people's life plans, and that will have a long term effect.

Azaran on 23/9/2022 at 14:11

Hmmm, so I was led to believe from the headline that it's 75% of long covid patients, but the article text implies it's anyone infected with covid. Not so good after all. I need to find the original study for clarification

Quote:

Canadian study finds most long-Covid patients recover within a year

Cipheron on 29/9/2022 at 12:53

Quote Posted by Azaran

Yeah, you have to be careful with interpreting headlines like that.

For me the "regardless of severity" bit is the clincher. So the study would seem to include people with mild cases, so that suggests it's not saying "long covid" as the test group at all.

But that actually sounds bad when you think about it. "Regardless of severity" implies that 25% of people with mild cases still had some type of symptoms after 12 months, the same rate as people with more severe cases.

Although we need to keep in mind it was a very small study and we don't know if any selection biases are present, for example a lot of cases do go undiagnosed.