About 75% of the people suffering long COVID symptoms — defined as persistent symptoms even six months after recovery — are women, according to a recent study of Mayo Clinic patients who had COVID-19. Long-haul COVID symptoms lasting for months after recovery include fatigue, joint pain, shortness of breath, chest pain, headache, orthostatis (a decrease in blood pressure upon sitting or standing up), organ damage, loss of smell, cardiomyopathy, neuropathy, brain fog and lung disease.
The study of patients shows it is mostly women seeking care for persistent symptoms after COVID-19 with fatigue being reported as the most common symptom. In addition, more women reported symptoms similar to central sensitization — a group of chronic disorders like headache, irritable bowel syndrome and fibromyalgia.
Researchers noted that central sensitization symptoms are similar to the those seen after other infections such as Lyme disease and post ICU syndrome, while the chronic symptoms of long COVID are similar to the lingering symptoms of viral infections such as Zika, SARS-CoV, and chikungunya.
SOURCE: News Medical June 8, 2021