Long Covid Symptoms

Introduction: Long COVID is a recent pathological entity. Its manifestations and impact on health and quality of life and, on a larger scale, at an economic and social level may be very signific...

A new study found that the effects of severe long COVID may cause worse fatigue and quality of life than other serious health conditions, such as stage 4 cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, or Parkinson's disease.

Background/Objectives: Taste dysfunction is a frequent symptom of acute coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). While the majority of those affected reported recovery over time, emerging data suggest that 20–25% of individuals experience persistent taste dysfunction, constituting a common symptom of long COVID. Gustation is mediated by continuously renewing taste bud cells. A balance between the counteracting processes of cell generation and cell death maintains the homeostatic turnover. Sonic hedgehog (SHH) is a morphogenic protein that promotes taste cell proliferation and differentiation. Enzymatic proteins such as gustin modulate the environment around the taste receptors and influence taste perception. Hence, we hypothesized that increased taste cell turnover and reduced taste-related salivary proteins contribute to the taste dysfunction in long COVID. Methods: Unstimulated whole saliva (UWS) was collected from individuals with long COVID experiencing taste dysfunction after obtaining informed consent. The normal control included archived saliva samples catalogued prior to 2019. Taste perception was objectively determined by the waterless empirical taste test. The SHH, gustin, and inflammatory cytokines in UWS were determined with ELISA. The expressions of epithelial and taste-cell-specific markers in cellular saliva were assessed by immunoflurorescence. Results: Impaired bitter taste was the most common dysfunction in the long-COVID cohort. Salivary gustin was significantly lower in those with long COVID and correlated with lower bitter taste score. Cellular saliva showed keratin-10- and small-proline-rich protein-positive epithelial cells as well as SHH-, occluding- and KCNQ1-positive taste cells. Conclusions: Salivary gustin could be a marker for impaired bitter taste in long COVID.

Scientific Reports - Cardiometabolic risk factors of post-bariatric patients two years after COVID-19 pandemic onset: a longitudinal study

Yale Medicine Research reports and detailed case studies from doctors and other providers can tell us a lot about Long COVID. But to understand the full scope of the disease and its impact, we must…

The COVID-19 pandemic, which began worldwide around March 2020, has had an impact on hearing health, specifically tinnitus and hearing loss. Physiologically,...

A study by Cleveland Clinic and USC researchers long-term risk associated with COVID-19 “continues to pose a significant public health burden”

Research reports and detailed case studies from doctors and other providers can tell us a lot about Long COVID. But to understand the full scope of the disease and its impact, we must also listen to the experiences of patients who are suffering.

People reporting long-COVID symptoms had elevated levels of cytokines, which are proteins the body makes to fight inflammation.

A US research team tracks children’s health to identify and analyze the development of long COVID symptoms.

Research has found that children and young adults with overweight or obesity may be at a significantly increased risk of developing long COVID.

COVID-19 infection increased the risk for autoimmune blistering diseases, but vaccination had protective effects, according to the results of a retrospective cohort study.

Research reports can tell us a lot about Long COVID, but to understand the full scope of the disease and its impact, we must also listen to the experiences of patients who are suffering.

A new cohort study including over 6 million participants has found an increased likelihood of Behçet disease, alocpecia, bulbous pemphigoid and other disorders post-COVID infection.

Scientific Reports - Presence of COVID-19 self-reported symptoms at 12 months in patients discharged from hospital in 2020–2021: a Spanish cross-sectional study

The research also showed that older adults and individuals with type 2 diabetes experienced nearly double the risk of dyslipidemia.

This cohort study investigates the long-term risk of autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases among patients in South Korea who had a COVID-19 diagnosis using an extended observational period.

One professor said it 'will include children and young people, which are often overlooked when it comes to this dreadful disease'

Long COVID inflammation linked to heart damage, as blood analysis reveals elevated cytokines impacting heart cells.

More and more children are experiencing vision problems. What are the underlying causes of this worrying trend? Glasses...

Scientific Reports - Pulmonary diffusing capacity among individuals recovering from mild to moderate COVID-19: a cross-sectional study

Background Pneumothorax is a little known and reported complication of COVID-19. These patients have poorer general outcomes and greater respiratory support requirements, longer hospitalization times, and higher mortality rates. The purpose of this study was to determine which factors predict mortality in patients with tube thoracostomy diagnosed with COVID-19, admitted to the COVID-19 intensive care unit (ICU), and developing pneumothorax. Methods This respective, observational study was conducted in all COVID-19 ICUs at the Marmara University Pendik Training and Research Hospital, Türkiye. Patients admitted to the ICU with diagnoses of COVID-19 pneumonia and with chest tubes inserted due to pneumothorax were investigated retrospectively. Results One hundred patients with tube thoracostomy were included in the study. Their median age was 68 (57–78), and 63% were men. The median follow-up time was 20 [10–29] days, and the median time from initial reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results to tube thoracostomy was 17 [9–23] days. Initial RT-PCR results were positive in 90% of the patients, while 8% were negative, and 2% were unknown. Half the patients exhibited pulmonary involvement at thoracic computed tomography (CT) (n = 50), while 22 patients had COVID-19 reporting and data system (CO-RADS) scores of 5 (22%). Sixty-two patients underwent right tube thoracostomy, 24 left side placement, and 14 bilateral placement. The patients’ mean positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) level was 10.31 (4.48) cm H2O, with a mean peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) level of 26.69 (5.95) cm H2O, a mean fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) level of 80.06 (21.11) %, a mean respiratory rate of 23.71 (5.62) breaths/min, and a mean high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) flow rate of 70 (8.17) L/min. Eighty-seven patients were intubated (87%), six used non-rebreathable reservoir masks, four HFNC, two non-invasive mechanical ventilation (NIV), and one a simple face mask. Comorbidity was present in 70 patients, 25 had no comorbidity, and the comorbidity status of five was unknown. Comorbidities included hypertension (38%), diabetes mellitus (23%), cardiovascular disease (12%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (5%), malignancy (3%), rheumatological diseases (3%), dementia (2%) and other diseases (9%). Twelve of the 100 patients survived. The median survival time was 20 (17.82–22.18) days, and the median 28-day overall survival rate was 29% (20-38%). The multivariate Cox proportional hazards model indicated that age over 68 (HR = 2.23 [95% CI: 1.39–3.56]; p = 0.001), oxygenation status other than by intubation (HR = 2.24 [95% CI: 1.11–4.52]; p = 0.024), and HCO3- below 22 compared with a normal range of 22 to 26 (HR = 1.95 [95% CI: 1.08–3.50]; p = 0.026) were risk factors associated with mortality in patients in the ICU. Conclusions Age over 68, receipt of oxygenation other than by intubation, and HCO3- values lower than 22 in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia emerged as prognostic factors associated with mortality in terms of pneumothorax.

While we are a few years out of the COVID-19 pandemic, we can still feel its after-effects.

A new study has found a direct link between nurse burnout and unfavorable patient and facility outcomes.

Joanne Collevy was always "supremely" fit and healthy. She had a personal trainer, lifted weights, and walked five kilometres a day. She loved horseriding and had an active social life.

Background Long-COVID is a new multisectoral healthcare challenge. This study aims at understanding experiences, knowledge, attitudes and (information) needs that GPs had and have in relation to Long-COVID and how these evolved since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods The study used an exploratory qualitative research design using semistructured interviews. A total of 30 semistructured interviews with GPs in different primary care settings (single practices, group practices, primary care centres) were conducted between February and July 2022. The data were analysed using qualitative thematic content analysis with the software Atlas.ti. Results This is the first study that empirically investigated Long-COVID management by GPs in Austria during the third year of the pandemic. All GPs indicated having experience with Long-COVID. In cities, GPs tended to have slightly better networks with specialists. The GPs who already worked in teams tended to find the management of Long-COVID easier. The symptoms that the physicians described as Long-COVID symptoms corresponded to those described in the international literature, but it is unclear whether syndromes and symptomes such as Post-Exertional-Malaise, autonomic dysfunction such as postural tachycardia syndrome or Mast-Cell-Overactivation-Syndrom, and cognitive dysfunctions were also recognized and correctly classified since they were never mentioned. Most GPs reacted quickly by granting the needed sick leaves and by seeing and discussing with the patients often.The treatment of the patients is described as an enormous challenge and frustrating for patient and GP if the treatment does not yield to significantly improved health also due to the high costs for the patient. Conclusion Long-COVID will continue to preoccupy our health care systems for a long time to come, as new variants of COVID-19 will continue to produce new patients without adequate prevention strategies. Therefore, it is not a question of if but when good support for GPs and adequate care pathways for people with Long-COVID will be implemented. Specific contact points that are familiar with therapy-refractory postacute infection syndromes like the postacute COVID condition as a subgroup of Long-COVID are urgently needed.

Scientific Reports - When fatigue and cognitive impairment persist- a neurological follow-up-study in patients with Post-COVID syndrome

Chronic pain has increased among adults in the US since 2019, which could be due to a rise in sedentary lifestyles or reduced access to healthcare amid covid-19 restrictions