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Study Finds 12 Symptoms For Long COVID

Long COVID is a post-infection set of conditions an individual could feel after contracting COVID-19 and a new study could help identify symptoms past patients feel months or years later. 

The study published by JAMA and funded by the National Institutes of Health was conducted to help further understand the long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2 and how to best treat long COVID patients. 

Tracking data from 9,764 adults—8,646 of which had COVID-19 at one point and 1,118 did not—resulted in researchers identifying 12 symptoms that most set apart those with long COVID. 

The symptoms, in order of most frequency, are:

  • Post-exertional malaise (the worsening of symptoms following even minor physical or mental exertion)
  • Fatigue
  • Brain fog
  • Dizziness
  • Gastrointestinal symptoms
  • Heart palpitations
  • Issues with sexual desire or capacity
  • Loss of smell or taste
  • Thirst
  • Chronic cough
  • Chest pain
  • Abnormal movements

“This study is an important step toward defining long COVID beyond any one individual symptom,” study author Dr. Leora Horwitz, director of the Center for Healthcare Innovation and Delivery Science said in a press release on Thursday. “This approach — which may evolve over time — will serve as a foundation for scientific discovery and treatment design.”

Posted May 31, 2023