Scientists Identify 12 Key Symptoms of Long COVID: A Step Towards Developing Treatment Options
Long COVID is the series of conditions that persist after a person contracts the coronavirus. It is estimated that around 6% of Americans who have contracted the virus continue to experience long COVID. However, scientists may be one step closer to developing treatment options for this debilitating illness, as they have identified 12 of its key symptoms.
The study, published in JAMA, analyzed data from 9,764 adults, of which 8,646 had COVID-19 and 1,118 did not. Researchers found that long COVID was more common and severe in participants who were infected before the 2021 Omicron variant, unvaccinated, or reinfected. The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health as part of the “RECOVER” initiative to understand why some people develop long-term symptoms following a COVID-19 infection, is an important step towards defining long COVID beyond any one individual symptom.
Dr. Leora Horwitz, co-principal investigator for the RECOVER Clinical Science Core at NYU Langone Health, said, “This approach – which may evolve over time – will serve as a foundation for scientific discovery and treatment design.” Identifying the 12 key symptoms could help pave the way for long COVID treatments.
The symptoms identified by the study are post-exertional malaise (debilitating fatigue that gets worse after physical or mental activity), fatigue, brain fog, dizziness, gastrointestinal symptoms, heart palpitations, issues with sexual desire or capacity, loss of smell or taste, thirst, chronic cough, chest pain, and abnormal movements.
Dr. Rachel L. Levine, assistant secretary for health, said, “Americans living with long COVID want to understand what is happening with their bodies.” The identification of these key symptoms is a crucial step towards understanding the effects of long COVID and developing treatments for those who continue to suffer from it.
While the study’s findings are significant, there is still much to learn about long COVID. As Dr. Horwitz noted, the approach to defining long COVID may evolve over time as researchers continue to study the illness. However, identifying the 12 key symptoms is a crucial first step towards developing effective treatments for those who continue to suffer from the debilitating effects of long COVID.
In conclusion, the identification of the 12 key symptoms of long COVID is a significant development that could help pave the way for effective treatments for those who continue to suffer from the illness. While there is still much to learn about long COVID, this study is an important step towards understanding the effects of the illness and developing treatments to alleviate its symptoms. As researchers continue to study long COVID, they will undoubtedly build on the findings of this study and develop new approaches to treating this debilitating illness.
- Post-COVID syndrome
- Chronic COVID-19
- Persistent COVID-19 symptoms
- Long-haul COVID-19
- Prolonged COVID-19 recovery
News Source : elefroynyp
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