Erectile dysfunction is among one of the new symptoms of the long Covid. Illustrative photo: Shutterstock.
What do we mean by “prolonged Covid”? On 21 December 2021, a group of specialists supported by the World Health Organization published in the prestigious magazine Lancet infectious diseases the definition that ended up being officially adopted.
It has been determined to be “the condition that occurs in individuals with a history of probable or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, usually three months after onset, with symptoms that last at least two months and cannot be explained by an alternative diagnosis“.
The “fatigue, shortness of breath, cognitive dysfunction (…) and general impact on daily activity“Direct the recorded disturbances.
Prolonged Covid. Tiredness and fatigue, two essential symptoms. Photo: Shutterstock.
In turn, the authors clarify that these “may appear again after initial recovery from an acute episode of Covid-19 or persist from the initial illness. ”They can fluctuate, change, recur over time or new ones can be added.
In addition to the well-known symptoms of prolonged COVID such as fatigue, confusion, and, for some, long-term loss of smell and taste, Now others are being added.
A new study has found that there is a wider range of symptoms, including hair loss, loss of libido, incontinence and erectile dysfunction in men and some people are more susceptible than others.
Working after the epidemiological discharge, when fatigue persists, is a real challenge. Photo: Shutterstock.
Researchers of the Birmingham University analyzed the medical records of around 2.4 million people in the UK and found that those who had been infected with COVID-19 reported 63 symptoms more often 12 weeks after being infected than those who had not been infected. .
The researchers of the study, published in Natural Medicine, he divided the most common symptoms into three categories: respiratory symptoms, mental health, and cognitive problems. Other common symptoms include loss of smell, shortness of breath, chest pain and fever, nausea and vomiting, fever, bowel incontinence, erectile dysfunction, anhedonia (lack of pleasure) and swelling of the limbs.
Even the simplest daily chores are hampered by the “long Covid”. Photo: Shutterstock.
The study suggests it particular groups of people are more likelycan develop prolonged COVID, i.e. women, young people and belonging to a black, mixed or other ethnic group.
The researchers also reported that people from low socioeconomic backgroundSmokers and people who were overweight, obese, or with a wide range of health conditions were associated with persistent COVID symptoms, and they also found that biological sex and ethnicity also appear to play a role.
The doctor Shamil Haroon, Clinical associate professor of public health at the University of Birmingham and lead author of the study, said the research validates what patients said to doctors and policymakers during the pandemic.
Anxiety, worry about work, a feeling of not being productive: the downside, in many cases. Photo: Shutterstock
“The symptoms of prolonged COVID are extremely broad and it cannot be fully explained by other factors such as lifestyle, risk factors or chronic health conditions, ”added Haroon.
“The symptoms we have identified should help doctors and disease developers clinical guidelines for improvement evaluate patients with long-term effects of COVID-19 and subsequently consider how to best manage this burden of symptoms, “he concluded.
Source: Clarin