A year after being hospitalized for COVID-19, nearly half of patients still had at least one lingering symptom, a study published Aug. 26 in The Lancet found.
The study included 1,276 patients discharged from a hospital in Wuhan, China, between Jan. 7 and May 29, 2020. Researchers followed up with patients after six and 12 months to assess their symptoms and quality of life. The median age of patients was 57, and most did not require intensive care during their hospitalization.
Five things to know:
1. Researchers found 49 percent of patients still had at least one lingering COVID-19 symptom after 12 months, down from 68 percent after six months.
2. The most common long-term symptom was fatigue or muscle weakness, which fell from 52 percent at six months to 20 percent at 12 months.
3. Patients were slightly more likely to report difficulty breathing and anxiety or depression at the 12-month mark.
4. Women were more likely than men to have fatigue or muscle weakness, mental health issues or lung function problems after 12 months.
5. The study is believed to be the largest to date to assess the lingering effects of the virus on survivors after one year, researchers said.
To view the full study, click here.