Women with Long COVID found to have more symptoms than men

Women were found significantly more likely to experience difficulty swallowing, fatigue, chest pain, and palpitations at long-term follow-up. The research was published in the Journal of Women's Health.

Long-COVID-syndrome is defined as persistent symptoms extending beyond 12 weeks after the initial symptoms of acute infection. Long COVID can affect many organ systems and a wide range of symptoms are commonly reported.

Breathlessness was the most common symptom, followed by fatigue. Females were more symptomatic than males, the researchers from the University of Parma and University-Hospital of Parma said.

Women were also found to report dyspnea, weakness, thoracic pain, palpitations, and sleep disturbance, significantly more likely than males. But not myalgia and cough.

Women were found to be less prone to severe disease than men, but few studies have assessed sex-differences in Long-COVID syndrome. Long-term longitudinal studies are needed to fully understand the sex-related pathophysiology of the symptoms and the effects of pharmacological treatment, the authors of the study said.