Hair loss, erectile dysfunction symptoms of long COVID: study

Lengthy COVID may very well be even worse on the physique than beforehand thought.

Properly-known signs of lengthy COVID embody fatigue, fogginess and for some, the long-term lack of scent and style.

Nevertheless, a brand new research has discovered that there’s a broader vary of signs, together with hair loss, lack of libido, incontinence and erectile dysfunction in males — and a few individuals are extra vulnerable than others.

Researchers from the University of Birmingham analyzed the well being information of round 2.4 million individuals within the UK, discovering that those that had been contaminated with COVID-19 reported 63 signs extra steadily 12 weeks after they have been contaminated in comparison with those that hadn’t been contaminated.

Researchers of the research — revealed in Nature Medicine — broke the commonest signs into three classes: respiratory signs, psychological well being and cognitive issues. Different frequent signs embody lack of scent, shortness of breath, chest ache and fever, nausea and vomiting, fever, bowel incontinence, erectile dysfunction, anhedonia (lack of enjoyment) and limb swelling.

The research suggests that exact teams of individuals are extra more likely to develop lengthy COVID, specifically females, youthful individuals and these belonging to a black, blended or one other ethnic group.

Researchers additionally reported individuals from low socioeconomic backgrounds, people who smoke and people who find themselves chubby, overweight or have a variety of well being situations have been related to persistent COVID signs, additionally discovering organic intercourse and ethnicity additionally seem to play a task.

Dr. Shamil Haroon, affiliate scientific professor in public well being on the College of Birmingham and senior creator of the research, stated the “analysis validates what sufferers have been telling clinicians and policymakers all through the pandemic.”

“The signs of lengthy COVID are extraordinarily broad and can’t be absolutely accounted for by different elements corresponding to way of life, threat elements or power well being situations,” Haroon added.

“The signs we recognized ought to assist clinicians and scientific guideline builders to enhance the evaluation of sufferers with long-term results from COVID-19, and to subsequently think about how this symptom burden could be greatest managed.”