London: People infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, have an increased risk of severe blood clots up to six months after infection, even in mild cases, according to a study published in The BMJ. Researchers found an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis – blood clots in the legs – up to three months of COVID-19 infection, pulmonary embolism – blood clots in the lungs – up to six months, and bleeding events up to two months. For months they showed a higher risk of occurrence during the first epidemic in patients with underlying conditions, in patients with more severe COVID-19, and in those with second and third wave.Also read – Control your desires: Shanghai does not ask residents to hug, kiss or sleep together in a coyote fight
Researchers at the University of Umeિયા in Sweden noted that these results support measures to prevent thrombotic events, especially for high-risk patients, and strengthen the importance of vaccination against COVID-19. Using national registrations in Sweden, they identified more than 1 million people with confirmed SARSCoV-2 infection between February 1, 2020 and May 25, 2021, along with more than 4 million people by age, gender and residence count, who had There was no infection. Positive SARS-CoV-2 test result. Also read – Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope has made a big statement on the first XE variant case found in Mumbai. Details here
The researchers first calculated rates of deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and bleeding in Covid-19 individuals before and during the long-term control period of Covid-19 diagnosis and compared them with rates at different time intervals after COVID-19 diagnosis. . They then calculated the rates of deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and bleeding 1–30 days after diagnosis of COVID-19 in the COVID-19 group and compared it with the corresponding rates in the control group. Also read – What are the features of the new Covid variant XE in Mumbai: 10 points
Here are the top 7 topics to learn from the study:
- The results showed that compared to the control period, the risks were significantly increased 90 days after COVID-19 for deep vein thrombosis, 180 days for pulmonary embolism, and 60 days for bleeding.
- Considering a range of potentially influential factors, the researchers found a five-fold increase in the risk of deep vein thrombosis, a 33-fold increase in the risk of pulmonary embolism, and an almost two-fold increase in the risk of bleeding in 30 days. After infection.
- This means that the first deep vein thrombosis was seen in 401 patients with COVID-19 and 267 in control patients, the researchers said.
- The first pulmonary embolism occurred in 1,761 patients and 171 control patients with Covid-19 and the first hemorrhage occurred in 1,002 patients with Covid-19 and 1,292 control patients, they said.
- The researchers found that patients with more severe COVID-19 had higher risks during the first epidemic than those with the second and third waves, which they said could be explained by improved treatment and vaccine coverage in older patients after the first wave. .
- Even in mild, non-hospitalized Covid-19 patients, the researchers found increased risks of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.
- In mild cases no increased risk of bleeding was observed, but in more severe cases a significant increase was observed.
This is an observational study, so researchers cannot establish the cause, and they accept many limitations that may have affected their findings. For example, they stated that patients with COVID-19 may have had a low diagnosis of VTE, testing for the disease was limited, especially during the first epidemic, and vaccine information was not available.