People discharged from hospital after being treated for COVID-19 have increased rates of organ damage, readmission and death, compared to the general population. New research suggests that COVID-19 might place a greater burden on healthcare systems than was previously thought.
COVID-19 is known to affect the respiratory system. Increasing evidence suggests it also affects other organs, such as the kidneys, liver and heart. But before this study, it was unclear how many people experience organ damage.
This study looked at the extra long-term burden on healthcare systems caused by COVID-19. Researchers analysed data on people who had been treated for COVID-19 in hospital. Their health was compared to people in the general population of the same age and with similar medical history.
More than 1 in 10 people treated in hospital for COVID-19 died after they were discharged, the study found. Nearly 1 in 3 were readmitted. They were more likely to develop respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease and diabetes than people in the general population.
More research is needed to understand which groups of people are most likely to develop these complications, the researchers say.
They suggest that an integrated care is needed to diagnose, treat and prevent organ damage after COVID-19. This approach means that the same medical team provides care at all stages of a patient's illness, in hospital and in the community.
https://evidence.nihr.ac.uk/alert/organ-damage-more-likely-after-covid-hospital-discharge/
