Arizona [US], August 4 (ANI): Researchers from the Universities of Arizona, Oxford, and Leeds examined dozens of previous studies on long COVID to investigate the number and range of people affected, the underlying disease mechanisms, the numerous symptoms that patients develop, and current and future treatments. Long COVID, also known as post-COVID-19 condition, is described as symptoms that last for three months or longer following acute COVID-19. The illness can harm several organ systems, resulting in reduced function and symptoms such as fatigue, cognitive impairment (often known as ‘brain fog’), breathing difficulties, and discomfort.
Long COVID can affect almost anyone, including all age groups and children. It is more prevalent in females and those of lower socioeconomic status, and the reasons for such differences are under study. The researchers found that while some people gradually get better from long COVID, in others the condition can persist for years.
Many people who developed long COVID before the advent of vaccines are still unwell. “Long COVID is a devastating disease with a profound human toll and socioeconomic impact,” said Janko Nikolich, MD, PhD, senior author of the paper, director of the Aegis Consortium at the U of A Health Sciences, professor and head of the Department of Immunobiology at the U of A College of Medicine – Tucson, and BIO5 Institute member. “By studying it in detail, we hope to both understand the mechanisms and to find ta.