Did you have COVID-19? Possible long-term effects.
COVID-19 is a disease that arrived unexpectedly; no one knew anything about it, and we had to learn how it spreads, what the most common symptoms are, and how to deal with it based on each person's individual circumstances. More than a year after it appeared, we still have much to learn, especially regarding its long-term effects and the symptoms that can persist. And we mustn't forget the fact that we may have had it without even realizing it.
The journal JAMA Network Open published an article in February 2021 outlining the symptoms or signs that, according to a recent study, could indicate that someone has already had the disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) stated at the time: "In some people, some symptoms may persist or recur for weeks or months after initial recovery. This can also occur in people with mild illness."
According to the publication, "Many people experience persistent symptoms and a decline in health-related quality of life after COVID-19. Existing studies have focused on hospitalized individuals 30 to 90 days after the onset of illness and have reported symptoms up to 110 days later. Longer-term sequelae in outpatients have not been well characterized."
Although "limitations of the study include a small sample size, a single study site, potential bias from symptoms reported during the illness episode, and loss to follow-up of 57 participants, this study presents the longest known follow-up symptom assessment after COVID-19 infection. This research indicates that the health consequences of COVID-19 extend far beyond acute infection, even among those with mild illness. Extensive long-term research will be needed to fully understand the impact of this evolving viral pathogen."
The symptoms or signs that, according to the recent study, could be indicators that one has already had the disease would be:
Fatigue. One of the most common symptoms of coronavirus infection, but also one of the most persistent after recovery. More than 30% of the people who participated in this study reported having persistent symptoms nine months after having the disease. This percentage barely varied depending on the age of the groups analyzed, although it increased to 43.3% in participants over 65 years old.
Loss of smell and taste. Both sequelae were reported by 13.6% of participants who presented persistent symptoms.
Mental confusion . Regarding this effect, it has been clarified that "it is a symptom, not a diagnosis; and it means many different things to different people. It is often a combination of short-term memory problems, concentration difficulties, or difficulty expressing oneself."
Other studies have reported fatigue, lethargy, and sleep disturbances, as well as lasting psychological effects such as anxiety or depression. Furthermore, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now includes depression as one of the persistent symptoms that COVID-19 can cause. Among the long-term symptoms described by the CDC are: fatigue, shortness of breath, cough, joint pain, chest pain, and other symptoms such as difficulty thinking and concentrating (brain fog), depression, muscle pain, headache, intermittent fever, and a rapid or pounding heartbeat (palpitations).
What is clear is that more than a year has passed and the pandemic is still not under control. The population is beginning to be vaccinated with vaccines from different laboratories, and the long-term results are unknown; nor do we know exactly what long-term effects each individual will have to live with after contracting the disease.
Ramona Ávila Núñez, PhD
Reference
Jennifer K. Logue, BA; Nicholas M. Franko, B.S.; Denise J. McCulloch, MD, MPH; et al. Sequelae in Adults at 6 Months After Covid-19 Infection. JAMA Network Open. 2021; 4 (2): e210830. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.0830