Dr Sundeep Mishra, Professor of Cardiology at AIIMS observed that many patients infected with coronavirus infection and who were admitted in the hospital are still using oxygen at home even after getting discharged from the hospital. Over 70 percent of hospitalised patients complain of shortness of breath and almost 1 in 7 patients were using oxygen at home even after one month of being discharged, noted

He stated that in patients having severe infections, long-term damage might happen to their lungs, but also to the heart, brain, immune system and other organs. Data from previous coronavirus outbreaks, such as the SARS epidemic revealed that the effects can stay for years. Because of this, doctors are concerned that this ongoing pandemic might lead to a significant upsurge of people fighting against long-lasting diseases and disabilities.

Dr Mishra observed that even months after SARS-CoV-2 infection, approximately one-third of patients are still fighting against fatigue, heart attacks, lung damage, neurological and psychiatric illnesses and other symptoms of ‘long COVID infection’. These patients who harbor post COVID complications are known ‘Long Haulers’. But, post COVID complications are not a homogenous disease entity but a host of different mechanisms. In several cases, the lungs are not the worst-affected organ. The immune system is one of the major targets pervading the entire body.

The lung damage reduces with time. The infection can reduce the immune-system activity by reducing the production of signalling molecules called interferons infecting people with a weakened immune system. The coronavirus infection causes parts of the immune system to become overactive and can trigger harmful inflammation in the body. A cytokine storm results which is the major cause of multi-organ disease such as myocarditis and heart failure and can even cause death in active COVID disease. However, the increased inflammation might persist even after the patient turns COVID negative with consequent organ problems.

Source: The New Indian Express