Watch out for Covid’s lasting effects

HYDERABAD:  Covid-19 is a multi-system disease, for which patients need a holistic approach and high index of suspicion by an experienced physician for an accurate diagnosis. Consulting a physician, who is specialised in internal medicine, steers them in the right path.  

We’ve been living in a pandemic for over a year now, been through two lokcdowns and are witness to scary visuals emerging out of ERs and crematoriums. The vaccination and awareness about the virus have brought in a sigh of relief but what’s tricky is the effects post recovery.  

According to Journo Nature and Lancet, 10%-35% of the patients, who had mild Covid, recovered in home quarantine but suffered the lasting symptoms for nearly three months. Also, 35%-87% of patients, who got discharged from hospital, had persistence in one or more symptoms even three-four months post discharge. 

Common post Covid symptoms

• Fatigue 
• Lack of strength 
• Weakness 
• Poor concentration 
• Decreased functional capacity at work 
• Persistent loss of smell and taste 
• Breathing difficulty 
• Tightness in the chest 
• Dry cough 
• Low-grade fever 
• Cardiac symptoms 
• Sweating episodes 
• Palpitations 
• Neurological symptoms 
• Severe headache 
• Vision problems 
• Brain fog

Complications

• Increased incidence of new onset diabetes, worsening of existing diabetes
• Thyroid disorders such as thyroiditis, Graves’ disease, hypothyroidism
• Huge spectrum of skin manifestations, secondary to disease as well steroids

Case of MIS A
A 27-year-old young woman presented with history of loose motions for one week and fever for four days with severe headache and rashes all over the body, especially on the eyelids and neck. She was diagnosed with MIS A and the patient quickly slipped into shock and was shifted to the ICU. Immediate diagnosis and treatment was given and the woman was saved. 

Severe complications 

• Multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS) A
• Mucormycosis
• Thrombotic complications (Heart/brain stroke) 

Lung fibrosis leading to lung transplant

(Dr Jagadeesh Kumar V, senior consultant physician at AIG Hospitals)