59% of long Covid patients had organ damage a year later

Organ damage persisted in 59% of long Covid patients a year after initial symptoms, even in those not severely affected when first diagnosed with the virus, according to a comprehensive new study co-led by a UCL researcher. The study, published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine , focused on patients reporting extreme breathlessness, cognitive dysfunction and poor health-related quality of life; 536 long Covid patients were included in the study. Thirteen per cent were hospitalised when first diagnosed with Covid-19, while 32% of people taking part in the study were healthcare workers. Of the 536 patients, 331 (62%) were identified with organ impairment six months after their initial diagnosis. These patients were followed up six months later with a 40-minute multi-organ MRI scan (Perspectum's CoverScan), analysed in Oxford. The findings confirmed that 29% of patients with long Covid had multi-organ impairment, with persistent symptoms and reduced function at six and 12 months. 59% of long Covid patients had single organ impairment 12 months after initial diagnosis.