One-in-three adults develop new conditions after COVID infection finds study

Another day, another COVID-19 development. A recent study has found that almost a third (32 of every 100) of older adults infected with COVID-19 in 2020 developed at least one new condition that required medical attention in the months after initial infection, 11 more than those who did not have COVID-19. The study was published in 'The BMJ'. Conditions involved a range of major organs and systems, including the heart, kidneys, lungs, and liver as well as mental health complications. Studies examining the frequency and severity of new conditions (sequelae) after COVID-19 infection have started to emerge, but few have described the excess risk of new conditions triggered by COVID-19 infection in older adults (aged at least 65). To address this, US researchers used health insurance plan records to identify 133,366 individuals aged 65 or older in 2020 who were diagnosed with COVID-19 before 1 April 2020. The results showed that among individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in 2020, 32 per cent sought medical attention in the post-acute period for one or more new or persistent conditions, which was 11 per cent higher than the 2020 comparison group.