Spike in vascular, neurological and renal issues after Covid-19 recovery

CHENNAI: Doctors in Chennai are now witnessing severe to very severe cases of post-Covid complications, including vascular and neurological issues, that may lead to death if not treated on time. Dr E Theranirajan, Dean of Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, says vascular, neurological, and renal complications are being reported.

“Patients come with serious complications. We are seeing more patients with these issues during the post-second wave period,” he explains.

He adds that patients have gangrene formation, their intestines are also affected, and have neurological complications that may lead to stroke. “Complications are seen in people with comorbidities and they only come once the symptoms appear. About six to 10 people such patients come to the hospital daily,” he says.
Dr Ananda Kumar, Nodal Officer of State Multi Super Speciality Hospital in Omandurar, also says neurological and vascular complications are being reported now. “Even people in their 30s have severe complications. In Covid patients, I have observed fatty liver during CT scans. More studies need to be done on this front,” he says.

Infectious diseases specialist Dr Subramananian Swaminathan, of Gleneagles Global Health City, concurs with them. “We are starting to see multi-system inflammation in children,” he adds. Other than this, a lot of patients report heart palpitations, and long-term psychological effects are being reported too. “Use of high doses of steroids changes the way the intestine works; and when that happens, the liver is involved as it needs to filter the blood. There are chances of multiple bacterial infections in the intestines and liver,” he adds.

Dr Elan Kumaran, head of the Liver Diseases and Transplant Centre at Kauvery Hospital, says 20-30 per cent of Covid cases at the hospital were severe. “Apart from lung diseases and ENT complications, we have seen patients develop lung inflammation during treatment. About 14-15 patients had infections in the kidney too. Lung complications may cause severe lung failure and pulmonary hypertension,” he adds.