[Health Tip] Long-lasting COVID-19 Aftereffects May Be Asthma

Research by Professor Kim Sangheon’s Team at Hanyang University Hospital

A study has found that if respiratory symptoms such as coughing and shortness of breath persist for a long time after being infected with COVID-19, new-onset asthma may have developed.

[Image provided by Pixabay]

Hanyang University Hospital announced this research result through a paper titled "New-onset asthma following COVID-19 in adults," published in the April online edition of the international journal The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology in Practice, by the research team of Professors Kim Sangheon, Lee Hyun, and Kim Bogeun from the Department of Respiratory Allergy and Immunology.

Some patients infected with COVID-19 continue to experience various respiratory symptoms as sequelae even after recovery. Representative symptoms include long-term coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. These symptoms are very common in asthma patients but were often mistaken as sequelae of COVID-19. Furthermore, hospital officials explained that until now, there had been no research on whether persistent respiratory symptoms after COVID-19 infection are associated with new-onset asthma.

Professor Kim's team selected 36 patients suspected of having asthma from 394 patients who complained of respiratory symptoms after recovering from COVID-19 infection at Hanyang University Hospital between April 2022 and October 2022. Among them, excluding 16 patients previously diagnosed with asthma and 3 patients who had asthma-like symptoms before COVID-19, 17 patients were studied for asthma onset, and 6 patients (1.5%) were newly diagnosed with asthma. This rate was significantly higher than that of asthma patients in the same patient group without COVID-19 infection during the same period at Hanyang University Hospital.

Regarding this research result, Professor Kim advised, "Most people tend to think that asthma-like respiratory symptoms persisting after recovery from COVID-19 are simply long-term sequelae following COVID-19 infection. If these symptoms continue for more than 4 weeks after recovery from COVID-19, it is necessary to consult a specialist to differentiate between acute or chronic asthma."

Professor Kim Sangheon, Department of Respiratory Allergy, Hanyang University Hospital.
Photo by Hanyang University Hospital

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