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Most hospitalized COVID-19 patients have at least one symptom 6 months after falling ill: Study

New Delhi
January 9, 2021

More than three quarters of COVID-19 patients hospitalized for treatment have at least one ongoing symptom six months after initially becoming unwell, according to a study published in The Lancet journal.

The research looked at the long term effects of the novel Coronavirus infection in 1,733 patients first diagnosed in Wuhan, China between January and May followed to June and September.

In the study, Scientists including those from Jin Yin-tan Hospital in China, interviewed the patients face-to-face using questionnaires to evaluate their symptoms and health-related quality of life. The discharged patients also underwent physical examinations, lab tests and a six minute walking test to gauge their endurance levels.

Nearly 400 patients also underwent further tests, including an assessment of their lung function and 94 patients whose blood antibody levels were recorded at the height of the infection received a follow-up test.

According to the scientists, the most common symptom to persist was muscle weakness (63 per cent of cases), with patients also frequently experiencing sleep difficulties (26%).