COVID-19: The World Health Organization (WHO) defines the post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) as the persistence of symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, and what is commonly referred to as “brain fog”, a symptom of SARS-CoV. Occurs three months or more after infection. -2.
The study, published in JAMA Network Open, showed that the prevalence of chronic COVID conditions was equally high in people without a history of mild SARS-CoV-2 infection, suggesting the contribution of other factors.
PCC prevalence was approximately 50 percent at six months after acute COVID, but was equally high in a control group of comparable SARS-CoV-2-negative individuals (47 percent).
The researchers said that acute COVID was not an independent risk factor for PCC, noting that low physical activity and loneliness were also associated with the outcome.
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“These results suggest that factors often labeled as psychogenic should be considered risk factors for persistent symptoms,” the researchers said.
However, “this does not mean that PCC is ‘all in the head’, or that the condition has a homogeneous, psychological aetiology. Instead, there may be heterogeneous biological, psychological and social factors that trigger and maintain symptoms.” Engaged in. Individual,” he said.
Researchers from Akershus University Hospital in Norway, University College London, UK for the study; And the University of Sydney in Australia used a prospective cohort study involving 404 people who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 and 105 who tested negative.
The team assessed participants during the initial recovery phase and during a six-month follow-up.
Study subjects underwent clinical examinations including pulmonary, cardiac, and blood tests to examine immunological and organ injury biomarkers.
The researchers also conducted cognitive function tests. At a six-month follow-up, the team found no biomarkers specific to viral infection. The main risk factor for PCC was the severity of symptoms at baseline.