Summary of Tired of Cancer? Long COVID Might Be Worse:
A study by researchers at UCL and the University of Exeter found that fatigue, the most significant symptom of long COVID, severely impacts patients’ daily lives. The health-related quality of life scores of long COVID patients in the study was lower than those of advanced-stage cancer patients, and the impact on daily activities was worse than in stroke patients and similar to Parkinson’s disease. The study underscores the need for focused resources to better manage and understand the condition. It suggests that fatigue should be a focus of clinical care and the design of rehabilitation services. The researchers also suggest that long COVID could have significant economic and social implications.
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Summary bullet points:
– Long COVID’s most significant symptom, fatigue, has a debilitating impact on patients’ lives, comparable to severe kidney disease and advanced cancers.
– The study’s health-related quality of life scores of long COVID patients were lower than those of advanced-stage cancer patients.
– Long COVID Fatigue severely impacts patients’ daily lives and can have significant social and economic implications.
– The study emphasizes the need for focused resources to better manage and understand the condition.
– As the patients involved in the study were those under treatment, they likely had worse symptoms than those who weren’t.
Have you or someone you know been experiencing fatigue long after recovering from COVID-19? You’re not alone. A new study by researchers at UCL and the University of Exeter found that fatigue is the symptom that most significantly impacts the daily lives of long COVID patients, and it can affect the quality of life more than some cancers.
The study, published in BMJ Open and funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), examined the impact of long COVID on the lives of over 3,750 patients who were referred to a long COVID clinic and used a digital app as part of their NHS treatment for the condition. Patients were asked to complete questionnaires on the app about how long COVID was affecting them, considering the impact on their day-to-day activities, levels of fatigue, depression, anxiety, breathlessness, brain fog, and their quality of life.
The researchers found that many long COVID patients were seriously ill and, on average, had fatigue scores worse or similar to people with cancer-related anemia or severe kidney disease. Their health-related quality of life scores were also lower than those of people with advanced metastatic cancers, like stage IV lung cancer.
Overall, the team found that the impact of long COVID on patients’ daily activities was worse than that of stroke patients and compared to that of patients with Parkinson’s disease. These results highlight the devastating effect that long COVID can have on patients’ lives, with fatigue significantly impacting everything from social activities to work, chores, and maintaining close relationships.
The research was carried out alongside partners at Southampton University, University of Exeter, Barts Health NHS Trust, University College London Hospitals NHS Trust, Royal Free Hospital, and Living With Ltd. The researchers urge a greater understanding of the symptoms and impact of long COVID on these patients to help the NHS and policymakers target limited resources by adapting existing services and designing new ones to better meet the needs of long COVID patients.
Not only does long COVID negatively impact patients’ lives individually, but the researchers also believe it could have a significant economic and social impact on the country. Over 90% of long COVID patients using the app were of working age (18-65), and 51% said they had been unable to work for at least one day in the previous month, with 20% unable to work at all. Meanwhile, 71% of patients were female. As working-age women make up most of the health and social care workforce, the impact of long COVID on their ability to function may add additional pressures to already stretched services.
According to the Office for National Statistics, around 1.4 million people in the UK had symptoms of long COVID as of July 2022. Alongside fatigue, patients experience breathlessness, anxiety, depression, and brain fog. However, this is the first study to report on the condition’s impact on day-to-day functioning and health-related quality of life in patients referred for specialist rehabilitation in long COVID clinics across England.
Co-author Professor William Henley, of the University of Exeter Medical School said: “Long COVID is an invisible condition, and many people are left trying to manage significant changes to how they can function. Shockingly, our research has revealed that long COVID can leave people with worse fatigue and quality of life than some cancers, yet the support and understanding are not at the same level. We urgently need more research to enable the development of evidence-based services to support people trying to manage this debilitating new condition.”
The study limitations note that as the patients involved were those under treatment, their symptoms were likely worse than those who weren’t. However, this study is still significant as it provides insight into the lived experiences of long COVID patients and emphasizes the need for better understanding and management of the condition.
If you’re experiencing long COVID symptoms and struggling to manage them, seek medical help, and don’t wait until things get worse. With greater awareness and understanding, we can work together to manage this debilitating condition effectively and help those affected to regain their quality of life.
