Hair loss and erectile dysfunction have been added to the list of symptoms of prolonged covid-19 , according to new research.
The study found that while the most common symptoms are loss of smell, shortness of breath, and chest pain, others include amnesia, erectile dysfunction, hallucinations, inability to carry out usual movements or commands, bowel incontinence and swelling of the extremities.
Symptom patterns tend to be grouped into respiratory symptoms, mental and cognitive problems, and then a broader range of symptoms.
In addition to detecting a broader set of symptoms, the researchers also identified key groups and behaviors that put people at higher risk of developing prolonged COVID-19.
As reported last month, a record 2 million people are estimated to be suffering from prolonged covid-19 in the UK , according to the ONS (Office for National Statistics).
Around 3.1 per cent of the British population suffer from symptoms that persist for more than four weeks after contracting Covid-19. Some 376,000 people who first contracted Covid-19 around the start of the pandemic have reported symptoms lasting at least two years.
The study suggests that women, younger people, and those who belong to a black or mixed-race ethnic group are at higher risk of developing prolonged covid-19.
In addition, people from poorer backgrounds, smokers, and people who are overweight or obese, as well as those with a wide range of illnesses, are more likely to report persistent symptoms.
Lead author Dr Shamil Haroon is an Associate Clinical Professor of Public Health at the University of Birmingham.
He said: “This research validates what patients have been telling doctors and policymakers throughout the pandemic: that the symptoms of long-term COVID-19 are extremely broad and cannot be fully explained by other factors, such as risk factors. lifestyle risk or chronic health conditions.
Hair loss and erectile dysfunction have been added to the growing list of covid-19 symptoms
“The symptoms we identified should help clinicians and clinical guideline developers better assess patients with long-term effects of COVID-19, and further consider how this symptom burden can be better managed.”
According to the study, people who tested positive for the virus reported 62 symptoms much more frequently 12 weeks after initial infection than those who had not contracted the virus.
The NHS list of common Covid-19 symptoms includes fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain or tightness, and “confusion”.
Researchers at the University of Birmingham analyzed the anonymous electronic health records of 2.4 million people in the UK together with a team of doctors and researchers from across England.
The data obtained between January 2020 and April 2021 included the records of 486,149 people with previous infection, and 1.9 million people with no evidence of infection bycoronavirusafter collating other clinical diagnoses.
Using data from patients who had not been admitted to hospital, the research team was able to identify the three distinct categories of symptoms.
Anuradhaa Subramanian, a researcher at the University of Birmingham’s Institute of Applied Health Research and lead author of the paper, said: “Our analyzes of risk factor data are of particular interest because they help us to consider what might be causing or contributing to prolonged covid”.
She added: “Women are, for example, more prone to autoimmune diseases. Seeing the increased likelihood of women having prolonged covid in our study raises our interest in investigating whether autoimmunity or other causes may explain the increased risk in women.”
“These observations will help further narrow the focus on factors to investigate what may be causing these persistent symptoms after infection and how we can help patients who experience them.”