All the research
Long Covid Learning collects research from scientists worldwide and summarizes the findings to make takeaways more accessible to those outside the research community. Study summaries can be shared as links or images in messages and social media.
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Persistent systemic infection for months
In people who died of Covid, the virus was found in various tissues throughout the body, including the brain, as late as 230 days following the symptom onset of an acute infection. In some patients, the virus can cause systemic infection and persist in the body for months. Among the other affected organs and tissues are the heart and blood vessels, lungs and the respiratory system, muscles, skin, thyroid, esophagus, spleen, appendix, adrenal glands, ovaries, testes, and womb.
In people who died of Covid, the virus was found in various tissues throughout the body, including the brain, as late as 230 days following the symptom onset of an acute infection.
In some patients, the virus can cause systemic infection and persist in the body for months. Among the other affected organs and tissues are the heart and blood vessels, lungs and the respiratory system, muscles, skin, thyroid, esophagus, spleen, appendix, adrenal glands, ovaries, testes, and womb.
Source: SARS-CoV-2 infection and persistence in the human body and brain at autopsy | Nature
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Long-term heart and lung issues
Adults under 55 years old hospitalized for Covid continue to suffer from long-term heart and lung issues. Two months after being released from the hospital, about 8% of patients studied had pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure of the lungs), while 10% of them had a heart defect related to pulmonary hypertension. Including those who had borderline conditions inconsistent with their age, at least 1 in 5 were found to have abnormalities of either the heart or lungs.
Adults under 55 years old hospitalized for Covid continue to suffer from long-term heart and lung issues.
Two months after being released from the hospital, about 8% of patients studied had pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure of the lungs), while 10% of them had a heart defect related to pulmonary hypertension. Including those who had borderline conditions inconsistent with their age, at least 1 in 5 were found to have abnormalities of either the heart or lungs.
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Damage to multiple organs
59% of those with Long Covid — most of whom were not hospitalized at the time of infection — were found to have suffered organ damage (spanning heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, pancreas, and spleen) in a longitudinal and prospective study. Organ impairment and symptoms like fatigue, breathlessness and cognitive dysfunction continued to have high prevalence after 12 months, with significant impact on quality-of-life.
59% of those with Long Covid — most of whom were not hospitalized at the time of infection — were found to have suffered organ damage (spanning heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, pancreas, and spleen) in a longitudinal and prospective study.
Organ impairment and symptoms like fatigue, breathlessness and cognitive dysfunction continued to have high prevalence after 12 months, with significant impact on quality-of-life.
Source: Multi-organ impairment and Long COVID: a 1-year prospective, longitudinal cohort study | medRxiv
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Accelerated biological aging
Covid adds years or decades to "biological age," such that the DNA of a 25yo can look like that of a 50yo after even a mild infection. Multiple measures of age were studied including methylation and telomere shortening. Telomeres are protective caps on DNA strands that are useful as cellular biomarkers for aging and have been linked to aging related diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and more. These were significantly shorter for all age groups after Covid. The average biological aging effect due to a Covid infection was 10 years, with the greatest changes in younger patients.
Covid adds years or decades to "biological age," such that the DNA of a 25yo can look like that of a 50yo after even a mild infection.
Multiple measures of age were studied including methylation and telomere shortening. Telomeres are protective caps on DNA strands that are useful as cellular biomarkers for aging and have been linked to aging related diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and more. These were significantly shorter for all age groups after Covid. The average biological aging effect due to a Covid infection was 10 years, with the greatest changes in younger patients.
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Heart function impairment
Magnetic imaging shows that 1 in 5 people with Long Covid have significant heart problems after 6 months, with even higher risk among men. 81% of those with heart function impairment had not been hospitalized with Covid, and 58% of them continued to have heart problems over a year after Covid infection.
Magnetic imaging shows that 1 in 5 people with Long Covid have significant heart problems after 6 months, with even higher risk among men.
81% of those with heart function impairment had not been hospitalized with Covid, and 58% of them continued to have heart problems over a year after Covid infection.
Source: Cardiac impairment in Long Covid 1-year post-SARS-CoV-2 infection | medRxiv
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Serious conditions in kids
After Covid infection, children have twice the risk of acute pulmonary embolisms (blood clots that move to the lungs), venous thromboembolic events (clotting in veins), and myocarditis or cardiomyopathy (inflammation of the heart). Rates of sudden kidney failure and type 1 diabetes are 20-30% higher.
After Covid infection, children have twice the risk of acute pulmonary embolisms (clots moving to the lungs), venous thromboembolic events (clotting in veins), and myocarditis or cardiomyopathy (inflammation of the heart).
Rates of sudden kidney failure and type 1 diabetes are 20-30% higher.
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Heart failure and stroke
Even a mild case of Covid significantly increases risk of cardiovascular problems — including heart failure and stroke — for at least a year after infection. Researchers found evidence of this increased risk even for younger, healthier individuals who lacked other risk factors (such as obesity or diabetes) in their study of 5 million medical records.
Even a mild case of Covid significantly increases risk of cardiovascular problems — including heart failure and stroke — for at least a year after infection.
Researchers found evidence of this increased risk even for younger, healthier individuals who lacked other risk factors (such as obesity or diabetes) in their study of 5 million medical records.
Source: Long-term cardiovascular outcomes of COVID-19 | Nature Medicine
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