Individuals who were hospitalized with a Covid-19 infection are at an increased risk of various complications, such as diabetes, respiratory issues, and cardiovascular diseases, according to a study.

The findings of the study titled ‘Long-Term Sequelae of Covid-19: A Longitudinal Follow-Up Study in Dhaka, Bangladesh’ was presented at a dissemination seminar at the BSMMU auditorium in the capital on Tuesday, which was jointly organized by icddr,b and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU).

Key findings were presented by Professor Dr. Shohael Mahmud Arafat, Chairman of the Department of Internal Medicine at BSMMU; Professor Dr. Chowdhury Meshkat Ahmed, Department of Cardiology, BSMMU; and Dr. Farzana Afroze, Associate Scientist, Nutrition and Clinical Service Division, icddr,b, who was also the principal investigator of the study.

The study was conducted at two Covid-19-designated hospitals in Dhaka, Bangladesh, between December 15, 2020, and October 30, 2021.

It revealed that Covid-19 survivors over the age of 60 are twice as likely to develop cardiovascular complications (hypertension, high pulse rate, edema), as well as neurological complications (peripheral neuropathy or numbness, tingling sensation, and pain in the hands and feet, taste, and smell abnormalities), when compared to the age group younger than 40 years.

Additionally, the prevalence of developing post-Covid complications was found to be 1.5 to 4 times higher in females than in males.

Long-term complications in hospitalized patients and those requiring intensive care were also found to be 2-3 times more likely than in non-hospitalized patients.