Los Angeles: About 23 percent of people infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus may have a long-term development covid According to one study, with symptoms lasting more than 12 weeks.
Research recently published in the journal Scientific Reports also identified predictors who are more likely to develop sometimes debilitating symptoms that can last for months.
The study is unique because it incorporates pre-existing symptoms such as fatigue and sneezing that are common to other conditions and may be mistaken for symptoms of COVID-19, the researchers said.
“Long COVID is a major public health concern. Twenty-three percent has a very high prevalence, and this could translate to millions of people,” said the study’s first author. qiao wua doctoral candidate in University of Southern California ,USC) in America.
“Greater knowledge on its prevalence, persistent symptoms and risk factors may help health care professionals allocate resources and services to help those who live long walks return to normal life,” Wu said.
The study suggests that obesity and hair loss at the time of infection are predictors of long-lasting covid, but other underlying conditions – such as diabetes or smoking status – have no association with long-lasting symptoms.
While SARS-CoV-2 is usually a severe illness lasting about three weeks, some people with COVID-19 have symptoms that last a month or more.
World Health Organization defines prolonged covid as symptoms lasting 12 weeks or more, a definition also used by the study authors.
The researchers said that due to differences in diagnostic criteria and study design, the prevalence of long covid has been estimated to range from 10 percent to 90 percent.
For example, some studies have focused on hospitalized patients, providing a limited perspective on long-term COVID in the wider population, he said.
The researchers used an Internet-based national survey conducted by the Center for Economic and Social Research (CESR) at USC, which had an estimated 8,000 respondents from across the US. From March 2020 to March 2021, researchers invited participants to answer biweekly questions about COVID.
Their final sample included 308 infected, non-hospitalized individuals who were interviewed a month before, around the time of infection, and 12 weeks later.
After accounting for pre-existing symptoms, about 23 percent of participants reported that they had experienced new-onset symptoms during infection that lasted more than 12 weeks, meeting the study’s definition of prolonged COVID.
Those who experienced chest tightness were less likely to have long-term covid.
There was a lack of evidence relating long-term exposure to COVID-19 to pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes or asthma, or age, gender, race/ethnicity, education or current smoking status.
“The significant association between long-term covid and obesity is in line with previous studies,” said Eileen CriminsProfessor at USC.
“We differ from some of the existing studies in that we did not find a link between longer COVID and any sociodemographic factors,” Crimins said.
Research recently published in the journal Scientific Reports also identified predictors who are more likely to develop sometimes debilitating symptoms that can last for months.
The study is unique because it incorporates pre-existing symptoms such as fatigue and sneezing that are common to other conditions and may be mistaken for symptoms of COVID-19, the researchers said.
“Long COVID is a major public health concern. Twenty-three percent has a very high prevalence, and this could translate to millions of people,” said the study’s first author. qiao wua doctoral candidate in University of Southern California ,USC) in America.
“Greater knowledge on its prevalence, persistent symptoms and risk factors may help health care professionals allocate resources and services to help those who live long walks return to normal life,” Wu said.
The study suggests that obesity and hair loss at the time of infection are predictors of long-lasting covid, but other underlying conditions – such as diabetes or smoking status – have no association with long-lasting symptoms.
While SARS-CoV-2 is usually a severe illness lasting about three weeks, some people with COVID-19 have symptoms that last a month or more.
World Health Organization defines prolonged covid as symptoms lasting 12 weeks or more, a definition also used by the study authors.
The researchers said that due to differences in diagnostic criteria and study design, the prevalence of long covid has been estimated to range from 10 percent to 90 percent.
For example, some studies have focused on hospitalized patients, providing a limited perspective on long-term COVID in the wider population, he said.
The researchers used an Internet-based national survey conducted by the Center for Economic and Social Research (CESR) at USC, which had an estimated 8,000 respondents from across the US. From March 2020 to March 2021, researchers invited participants to answer biweekly questions about COVID.
Their final sample included 308 infected, non-hospitalized individuals who were interviewed a month before, around the time of infection, and 12 weeks later.
After accounting for pre-existing symptoms, about 23 percent of participants reported that they had experienced new-onset symptoms during infection that lasted more than 12 weeks, meeting the study’s definition of prolonged COVID.
Those who experienced chest tightness were less likely to have long-term covid.
There was a lack of evidence relating long-term exposure to COVID-19 to pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes or asthma, or age, gender, race/ethnicity, education or current smoking status.
“The significant association between long-term covid and obesity is in line with previous studies,” said Eileen CriminsProfessor at USC.
“We differ from some of the existing studies in that we did not find a link between longer COVID and any sociodemographic factors,” Crimins said.