Erectile dysfunction and incontinence could be symptoms of long Covid, according to new research
- Researchers from the University of Birmingham analysed 2.4 million people
- Included 486,149 people with prior infection and 1.9 million with no indication
- Most common symptoms included loss of smell and shortness of breath
Erectile dysfunction and incontinence could be symptoms of long Covid, according to new research.
Researchers from the University of Birmingham analysed anonymised electronic health records of 2.4 million people in the UK.
The data, taken between January 2020 and April 2021, comprised of 486,149 people with prior infection and 1.9 million people with no indication of it.
The research was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research and UK Research and Innovation.
Erectile dysfunction and incontinence could be symptoms of long Covid, according to new research (stock image)
The scientists found the most common symptoms included loss of sense of smell, shortness of breath, chest pain and fever, The Times reports.
Others included amnesia, apraxia (the inability to perform familiar movements or commands), bowel incontinence, erectile dysfunction, hallucinations and limb swelling.
The study, published Monday in Nature Medicine, found that patients reported 62 symptoms much more frequently 12 weeks after initial infection.
Dr Shamil Haroon, the senior author on the study, said: ‘This research validates what patients have been telling clinicians and policy makers throughout the pandemic, that the symptoms of long COVID are extremely broad and cannot be fully accounted for by other factors such as lifestyle risk factors or chronic health conditions.
Researchers from the University of Birmingham analysed anonymised electronic health records of 2.4 million people in the UK (stock image)
‘The symptoms we identified should help clinicians and clinical guideline developers to improve the assessment of patients with long-term effects from COVID-19, and to subsequently consider how this symptom burden can be best managed.’
Co-author Jennifer Camaradou said: ‘This study is instrumental in creating and adding further value to understanding the complexity and pathology of long COVID.
‘It highlights the degree and diversity of expression of symptoms between different clusters.
‘Patients with pre-existing health conditions will also welcome the additional analysis on risk factors.’
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