Jul 20, 2020 13:00:00

New coronavirus infection may continue to be fatigued for more than a month even with mild symptoms

If you are severe enough to enter the intensive care unit (ICU), certain symptoms may persist for weeks or months after recovery. However, patients with novel coronavirus infections (COVID-19) may have chronic fatigue for weeks or more after recovery, even if the symptoms are mild, according to

Kings College London . Francis Williams , a professor of epidemiology, points out.

Coronavirus: why are some people experiencing long-term fatigue?
https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-why-are-some-people-experiencing-long-term-fatigue-141405

According to Williams, the

COVID Symptom Study app, a symptom study app for COVID-19 patients in the United Kingdom, shows that COVID-19 patients who have recovered from relatively mild symptoms have 'overwhelming feeling of fatigue' over the long term. It is known to experience symptoms such as palpitations, muscle soreness, and numbness in the body. About 10% of all people experience chronic fatigue after recovery.

Chronic fatigue, in which fatigue continues for weeks or more and sometimes even makes it difficult to move, has been confirmed in various clinical situations, including cancer treatment and inflammatory arthritis. If 1% of COVID-19 patients remain ill for three months, more than a few thousand people will be unable to return to work in Britain alone, Williams said. He states that COVID-19-induced chronic fatigue should be studied and addressed.

COVID-19 is not the only infectious disease that causes chronic fatigue, and it may be chronic after recovery of symptoms, even in people infected with Epstein-Barr virus that causes infectious mononucleosis or SARS coronavirus. There are cases where you experience fatigue. Chronic fatigue that occurs after a viral infection is also called post-viral fatigue syndrome.

Until now, effective treatment of the underlying condition has been shown to reduce chronic fatigue, but specific treatments for viral infections are difficult. The mechanism by which viral infections cause chronic fatigue is not known so far, but it may be triggered by infections in the lungs, brain, or fat, or immunity may react inappropriately after the infections are cured. It is thought that this may be the cause.

In a 2018 study , a chemical called interferon-alpha , used to treat hepatitis C , caused influenza-like symptoms in many patients, with a minority showing chronic fatigue (post-viral fatigue syndrome). It turns out that it has occurred. Furthermore, when we investigated the case caused by this interferon alpha, the baseline levels of two molecules that promote inflammation, interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 , could serve as predictors of whether chronic fatigue is caused. I understand.

In addition, these two proinflammatory molecules are interesting to note in the cytokine storm found in severe COVID-19 patients, Williams noted. Actually, there is also a research result that 'a therapeutic drug called tocilizumab that suppresses the action of interleukin-6 is effective for COVID-19', and regarding chronic fatigue in COVID-19 patients, interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 May be involved.

The Williams et al. team is using the COVID Symptom Survey app to investigate post-viral fatigue syndrome in COVID-19 patients. In addition, we conducted a questionnaire to the twins included in the large-scale study ' TwinsUK ' conducted on twins in the United Kingdom, and investigated factors in blood related to chronic fatigue in COVID-19 patients and the causative immune mechanism. He is trying to find out.

COVID-19 patients face more than unprecedented viral infections, unprecedented social changes, restricted mobility, greater anxiety and difficult-to-quantify risks, making it difficult to design effective studies Acknowledges Williams. Some people think that 'I may die with this,' and it is necessary to investigate post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Chronic fatigue is not well-educated in the medical school curriculum as it does not fall within the scope of a single medical field, and is a commonly overlooked disease for physicians. However, in recent years, online training for medical professionals has been provided, and guidance for patients suffering from chronic fatigue is also provided. Patients with chronic fatigue are counterproductive if they try to exercise and recover their physical strength vigorously.After a little physical and mental effort, they immediately take a rest and gradually return to work. Should be done to Mr. Williams.