Long Covid patients have lower quality of life than those with cancer, Parkinson’s disease: Study

People dealing with long Covid have a lower quality of life than those with advanced-stage cancer, a new study has revealed, as it sheds light on the long-term effects of coronavirus.

Fatigue was found to be the most common symptom among post-Covid patients, having the greatest impact on their daily lives.

The researchers at University College London (UCL) and the University of Exeter further found that many were seriously ill and had fatigue scores worse than or similar to people with cancer-related anaemia or severe kidney disease.

Their health-related quality of life scores were also lower than those of people with advanced metastatic cancers, such as stage 4 lung cancer, the study notes.

On the whole, long Covid had a far worse impact on the daily life of patients compared to stroke patients and people with Parkinson’s disease.

“Long Covid is an invisible condition, and many people are left trying to manage significant changes to how they can function,” Prof William Henley, the study co-author from Exeter University medical school, said, according to The Guardian.

“Shockingly, our research has revealed that long Covid can leave people with worse fatigue and quality of life than some cancers, yet the support and understanding are not at the same level. We urgently need more research to enable the development of evidence-based services to support people trying to manage this debilitating new condition.”

Long Covid can impact anyone

According to WHO, post-COVID-19 condition, commonly known as long Covid, can affect anyone exposed to SARS-CoV-2, regardless of age or severity of original symptoms.

Some people who have been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 can experience long-term effects from their infection,

The main criteria to determine long Covid is the development of new symptoms three months after the initial infection, with these symptoms lasting for at least two months with no other explanation.

While common symptoms of long Covid can include fatigue, shortness of breath and cognitive dysfunction, over 200 different symptoms have been reported that can have an impact on everyday functioning.

The study was published in the BMJ Open Journal and funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

The study looked at more than 3,750 patients who were referred to a long Covid clinic after experiencing symptoms for at least 12 weeks after infection.

(With inputs from agencies)

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