Almost 1 in 3 elderly develop long-Covid after infection: Study

The long-Covid conditions involved a range of major organs and systems, including the heart, kidneys, lungs and liver as well as mental health complications, revealed the findings published in The BMJ.

New York: Almost a third (32 of every 100) of older adults aged above 65 infected with Covid-19 in 2020 developed at least one new condition that required medical attention in the months after initial infection, 11 more than those who did not have Covid-19, finds a study.

The long-Covid conditions involved a range of major organs and systems, including the heart, kidneys, lungs and liver as well as mental health complications, revealed the findings published in The BMJ.

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Researchers from Harvard University in the US, used health insurance plan records to identify 133,366 individuals aged 65 or older in 2020 who were diagnosed with Covid-19 before 1 April 2020.

The researchers then recorded any persistent or new conditions starting 21 days after a Covid-19 diagnosis (the post-acute period).

The results show that compared with the 2020 comparison group, Covid-19 patients were at increased risk of developing a range of conditions including respiratory failure, fatigue, high blood pressure, and mental health diagnoses.

However, compared with the group with viral lower respiratory tract illness, only respiratory failure, dementia, and fatigue showed increased risk differences of 2.39, 0.71, and 0.18 per 100 people with Covid-19, respectively.

Individuals admitted to hospital with Covid-19 had a markedly increased risk for most but not all conditions.

The risk of several conditions was also increased for men, for people of colour, and for those aged 75 and older.

This is an observational study so cannot establish the cause, and the researchers acknowledge some limitations, including the fact that some diagnoses might not truly represent a new condition triggered by Covid-19 infection.

However, “The number of survivors with sequelae after the acute infection will continue to grow”, warned Marc Lipsitch, Professor at Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health.

“These findings further highlight the wide range of important sequelae after acute infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

“Understanding the magnitude of risk for the most important clinical sequelae might enhance their diagnosis and the management of individuals with sequelae after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection,” Lipsitch said.