"Post-COVID Symptoms: Increased Complaints of Depression, Anxiety, and Cognitive Decline After 3 Months"

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[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] Respiratory symptoms such as coughing, digestive abnormalities, and chronic fatigue are common up to three months after quarantine release, but after three months, more patients report depression, anxiety, and cognitive decline.

According to Myongji Hospital on the 27th, the hospital held a clinical symposium on COVID-19 aftereffects under the theme "It’s not over until it’s over” the day before. At this symposium, doctors who have been directly treating patients with aftereffects for about a month analyzed the patterns of aftereffects based on their clinical experience and proposed guidelines for treating aftereffects in future medical practice.

At the symposium, Professor Jang Jin-gu of the Department of Psychiatry stated, “COVID-19 aftereffects are not simply ‘mental illnesses’ but mental health disorders accompanied by actual changes in brain function,” adding, “For cognitive decline, hyperbaric oxygen therapy is being considered.” Additionally, Professor Jung Young-hee of the Department of Neurology explained, “Delirium and cognitive decline symptoms in the elderly appear during COVID-19 infection and even 2 to 3 months after release,” and “In younger people, symptoms such as difficulty concentrating and feeling dazed are related to depression, anxiety, and fatigue, so psychiatric consultation is recommended.”

Severe aftereffects such as acute kidney disease and heart disease were also discussed. Professor Kwon Young-eun of the Department of Nephrology said, “Acute kidney disease with rapid decline in kidney function is common as an aftereffect, and among these, severe patients requiring dialysis have a high risk of death,” adding, “After COVID-19 infection, many patients experienced decreased kidney function (glomerular filtration rate) even after discharge.” Professor Lee Jae-hyuk of the Department of Cardiology stated, “Myocardial injury was reported in 25% of severe COVID-19 patients,” emphasizing, “For high-risk groups such as those with hypertension, coronary artery disease, or heart failure who complain of chest pain as an aftereffect, myocarditis, pericarditis, or coronary artery disease should be suspected, and tests such as electrocardiogram and echocardiography must be considered.”

Professor Han Min-jung of the Department of Family Medicine introduced treatments for chronic fatigue aftereffects, saying, “We conduct multidisciplinary cooperation with rehabilitation medicine for exercise therapy, psychiatry for cognitive behavioral therapy, toxicology clinics for hyperbaric oxygen therapy, neurology for autonomic function tests, and cardiology for heart rate variability measurement,” and added, “Intravenous nutrition therapy is also performed to supplement essential amino acids, vitamins, and antioxidants.”

Other aftereffects such as ophthalmologic diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, and loss of smell and taste were also discussed. Professor Song Chang-eun of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology said, “We receive the most referrals for cooperation due to symptoms of loss of smell or taste,” introducing, “The most frequently reported sensory nerve loss is anosmia, which is characterized by loss of smell without nasal congestion, unlike colds or flu.” He continued, “Olfactory nerve degeneration at the genetic level has also been observed, and since permanent impairment of smell and taste can remain, early active treatment is important.”

Professor Choi Kang-won of the Department of Infectious Diseases summarized, “It is the first time since HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) that a single virus affects such a wide range of diseases,” adding, “It is unfortunate that there are still no unified diagnostic criteria or clear clinical guidelines for aftereffects.” He also expressed the view that the term ‘COVID-19 aftereffects’ is more appropriate than ‘Long COVID.’

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