ICMR study finds covid symptoms lasting for long

livemint.com:

New Delhi: Post covid-19 health complications were observed in a significant portion of patients, according to a recent study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The study found that 18.6% individuals experienced difficulty in breathing (dyspnea), 10.5% reported fatigue, and 9.3% faced mental health issues after being discharged from hospitals. Data was collected from a hospital-based registry comprising 8,042 patients admitted to 31 healthcare facilities across India between September 2020 and October 2022.

The study was conducted with the goal to effectively manage post-covid morbidities. After their discharge from hospitals, the covid-19 patients were followed up via telephone for up to one year. The Union health ministry defines post-covid syndrome as a condition emerging during infection, persists for more than 12 weeks after recovery, and remains unexplained.

“The effects of covid infection persist beyond the active phase. Comprehensive analysis of the post-covid complications and symptoms in different patients is critical to minimize the long-term morbidity and mortality associated with infection. This analysis was conducted with the objective to estimate the frequency of post- covid sequelae and designing a framework for holistic management of post-covid morbidities," Dr Samiran Panda, ICMR scientist and author of the study published in BMJ Global Health medical journal, said.