"Symptoms Persist 6 Months After COVID-19 Infection"…76% of Hospitalized Patients Report Symptoms

In February last year, a nurse was caring for a COVID-19 patient in the intensive care unit at a hospital in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

[Asia Economy Reporter Hana Na] A study has found that about 7 out of 10 hospitalized patients with the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) still experience symptoms such as fatigue, muscle weakness, and sleep disturbances even after six months.

According to a paper by Chinese researchers published on the 8th (local time) in the world-renowned medical journal The Lancet, more than three-quarters of hospitalized COVID-19 patients reported various symptoms such as fatigue and muscle weakness in a survey conducted six months later.

The researchers investigated 1,733 COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized between January 7 and May 29 last year at a hospital in Wuhan (武漢), Hubei (湖北) Province, where COVID-19 was first reported.

The average age of these patients was 57 years, with males and females accounting for 52% and 48%, respectively.

According to the paper, among 1,655 patients whose survey results could be analyzed, 63% (1,038 people) complained of fatigue and muscle weakness, 26% (437 people) reported sleep disturbances, and 22% (359 people) experienced hair loss. Additionally, 11% (176 people) reported problems with their sense of smell, while 9% (154 people) each reported palpitations and joint pain.

A total of 1,265 people, accounting for 76% of the entire analyzed group, reported having one or more physical symptoms, including decreased appetite and dizziness.

Furthermore, in terms of mental health, 27% of the respondents reported experiencing "pain and discomfort," and 23% said they were suffering from "anxiety and depression."

According to the researchers, the study also found that neutralizing antibodies capable of deactivating the coronavirus sharply decrease over time.

Blood tests conducted on 93 patients showed that their neutralizing antibody levels had decreased by an average of 53% compared to when their symptoms were at their peak.

The researchers explained, "It was confirmed that most patients still had one or more symptoms six months after the onset of COVID-19 symptoms," and "neutralizing antibodies were found to decrease significantly compared to the acute phase."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.