Women Over 40 Face Over 40% Higher Risk of 'Long Covid' Than Men

Varies by Pregnancy Status, Age, and Menopausal Status

A study has found that women aged 40 and older are more than 40% more likely to develop 'Long Covid'-the prolonged aftereffects following infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus-compared to men of the same age group.

According to Yonhap News, a research team led by Professor Dimpy Shah at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio tracked and observed over 12,000 Covid-19 patients from 33 states in a study published in the American Medical Association (AMA) journal, JAMA Network Open. These findings were reported on January 23.

A university hospital with a banner recommending mask wearing installed. Photo by Yonhap News

Yonhap News also reported that, to date, more than 700 million people worldwide are estimated to have been infected with Covid-19, with over 7 million deaths. It is known that many people continue to experience the long-term aftereffects of Covid-19, referred to as 'Long Covid,' even after recovering from the acute phase of the illness.

The research team pointed out that, just as the severity of Covid-19 varies among individuals, the risk of developing Long Covid can also differ from person to person, and the impact of sex on Long Covid risk remains unclear. In this study, they analyzed data from 12,276 Covid-19 patients (NIH RECOVER-Adult cohort) registered between October 29, 2021, and July 5, 2024, across 83 institutions in 33 states in the United States, to evaluate sex differences in the risk of developing Long Covid. All participants visited the institutions for testing six months after their initial Covid-19 infection.

The analysis showed that, except for the 18-39 age group, women in all other age groups had a 31% to 44% higher risk of developing Long Covid compared to men. The level of risk was found to be related to factors such as pregnancy status, age, and menopausal status.

When the analysis was limited to women who were not pregnant, the risk of Long Covid was 50% higher for women than for men. Among those aged 40 to 54, postmenopausal women had a 42% higher risk of Long Covid compared to men, while premenopausal women had a 45% higher risk. The research team stated that these findings suggest that women are more likely than men to experience Long Covid after being infected with Covid-19, and that this association varies depending on age, pregnancy status, and menopausal status.

The team further explained that these results highlight the need to identify the biological mechanisms underlying the sex-specific differences in Long Covid risk, to assess individual risk levels, develop targeted medications, and improve Long Covid management by taking sex differences into account.

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