The Independent
Newspaper La Jornada
Tuesday, July 26, 2022, p. eleven
London. Hair loss and erectile dysfunction have joined the list of prolonged symptoms from COVID-19, according to new research published in the journal Natural Medicine.
The study found that while the most common symptoms include loss of smell, shortness of breath and chest pain, others include amnesia, erectile dysfunction, hallucinations, inability to carry out movements or familiar commands, bowel incontinence and swelling of limbs.
Symptom patterns tend to be grouped into respiratory symptoms, mental health, and cognitive issues, then into a broader range.
In addition, the researchers also identified key groups and behaviors that put people at higher risk of developing prolonged covid.
A record 2 million in Britain are estimated to be suffering from prolonged covid, according to the Office for National Statistics.
About 3.1 percent suffer from symptoms that persist for more than four weeks after contracting the disease.
In that country, some 376,000 people who contracted coronavirus for the first time at the start of the pandemic reported that their symptoms lasted at least two years. The study suggests that women, younger people and those who belong to a black, mixed-race or other group are at higher risk of developing prolonged covid.
In addition, those with a history of smoking, who were overweight and obese, as well as those living with a wide range of health conditions, were more likely to have persistent symptoms.
Lead author Dr Shamil Haroon, Clinical Associate Professor of Public Health at the University of Birmingham, said: “This research validates what patients have been telling doctors and policy makers during the pandemic – that prolonged Covid symptoms are extremely large and cannot be fully explained by other factors, such as lifestyle risk factors or chronic health conditions.
The symptoms we identified should help clinicians and clinical guideline developers better assess patients with long-term effects of COVID-19, and subsequently consider how this symptom burden can best be managed.
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The pandemic has left 6 million 385 thousand 518 deaths and 570 million 787 thousand 712 infections, according to Johns Hopkins University.
