Complications from COVID-19 are still under investigation. It is known, however, that even those who have had mild or even asymptomatic disease can suffer from various types of complications after COVID-19. What organs can coronavirus damage, and what complications do people recover from COVID-19?

Complications from COVID-19are not yet as well known as complications from the flu. It is assumed that some of them may be a side effect of intensive treatment (e.g. intubation) or the administration of strong drugs.

Scientists are concerned about the fact thatcomplications after COVID-19are complained of not only by hospitalized persons, but also by those who had asymptomatic or mildly infected with coronavirus and were ill at home. This means that they are caused by the coronavirus itself, which damages many organs - as suggested by the results of research conducted both on the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and on other coronaviruses.

Complications after COVID-19 - what organs can be affected by the coronavirus?

Research intocomplications from COVID-19is ongoing, but it is already known that the coronavirus can adversely affect a number of organs. According to what the World He alth Organization (WHO) lists on its website, the coronavirus can affect, among others, to:

  • heart- leading to myocardial damage and heart failure
  • lungs- damaging lung tissue and leading to shortness of breath, breathing problems, lung failure
  • brain and nervous system- the consequence may be loss of smell, cognitive impairment (memory and concentration)
  • mental he alth- effects include anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, sleep disorders
  • musculoskeletal system- the consequence is joint and muscle pain and fatigue
  • immune system- the effects are, among others frequent infections.

Complications after COVID-19 - chronic fatigue

One of the most troublesome - and, according to researchers, also the most insidious - complications from COVID-19 is chronic, severe fatigue. This symptom, according to various studies, is reported by even more than 50 percent. people discharged from hospitals (for example, out of 143 people withCOVID-19 discharged from a hospital in Rome, as many as 53% reported fatigue, and 43% had shortness of breath on average 2 months after the onset of the first symptoms of the disease.

Fatigue can be so bad that it is difficult to get out of bed or work for more than a few hours. It is also common in people who have had a mild history of coronavirus infection and have not required hospitalization. So far, it is not clear why the coronavirus causes fatigue, but researchers believe that chronic fatigue syndrome may be related to mild inflammation in the body.

Complications after COVID-19 - cardiovascular problems

One of the complications of COVID-19 can also be cardiovascular symptoms, including cardiomyopathy, in which the heart muscles become stiff, stretched, or thickened, affecting the heart's ability to pump blood. The coronavirus can also damage the cells that line blood vessels.

Patients who have recovered also complain of rapid, uneven heartbeat and chest pain. Some people develop high blood pressure after COVID-19, worsen heart failure, or develop myocarditis. The problem of heart damage after coronavirus is currently being investigated by various scientific institutions, such as the British Heart Foundation in London.

Complications after COVID-19 - cognitive impairment

The complications after COVID-19 are also disturbing and as troublesome as chronic fatigue are memory disorders and the so-called the "brain fog" that more and more people report and that lasts long after the acute symptoms of the infection have subsided.

Many people also experience neurological complications such as delirium and confusion. It is not yet certain whether this is because the virus can infect the brain, or if the symptoms are a secondary consequence of the disease, e.g. related to inflammation.

Complications after COVID-19 - lung damage

Coronavirus also damages the lungs, so a complication after COVID-19 may also include shortness of breath and breathing problems, especially during exercise. In many people, however, lung damage decreases over time - for example, it was the case of patients who were discharged from hospital after COVID-19 in an Austrian study. 88 percent of them had lung damage visible on the study, but after 12 weeks this number had dropped to 56%.

Complications after COVID-19- immunodeficiency

The researchers also concluded that COVID-19 can also damage the immune system, and that a complication can be either a decline in immunity or an overactive part of the immune system, triggering the conditionflammable.

As explained by Daniel Chertow from the National Institutes of He alth Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, who studies emerging pathogens, explains that the SARS virus reduces the activity of the immune system by reducing the production of signaling molecules - a similar phenomenon may occur a place also for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.

How long do complications from COVID-19 last?

It is not known yethow long complications after COVID-19 may persist . Evidence gathered from previous coronavirus outbreaks, including the SARS epidemic, suggests that complications may persist long after recovery. However, a lot depends on the type of complications.

The findings so far show thatloss of smell after the coronavirusmay last up to several weeks, as well as chronic fatigue, which in many people persists even for several months after this how they will be considered convalescents. Research is ongoing to assess how long complications from COVID-19 last.

One of them is a UK study of people hospitalized for COVID-19 - for a year scientists will regularly analyze blood samples and take lung scans of 10,000 people discharged from hospitals, a similar study has also begun in the United States.

Complications after COVID-19 - what tests are worth doing?

In the event of complications after COVID-19, especially those that persist for a long time and are troublesome, you need to see a doctor. Complications such as dyspnoea, chest pain, memory impairment, low exercise tolerance and chronic fatigue, chronic headaches and joint pains require consultation.

After assessing the symptoms, the doctor will decide what tests should be performed. For most patients, chest imaging tests, such as a chest CT scan or a lung X-ray, are the most important to allow the physician to assess the condition of the lungs. Many survivors also have recommended spirometry, which is indicated prior to rehabilitation after COVID-19.

People who complain of persistent chronic fatigue, chest pain, heart rhythm disturbances after COVID-19 should consult a cardiologist due to possible heart weakness. On the other hand, people with chronic olfactory and taste disorders should ask their GP for a referral to a neurologist. It is important to assess whether the disease has not left any traces in the form of changes in the brain tissues.

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COVID 19