A recent study published in The Lancet journal has indicated that individuals hospitalized with flu face an increased risk of long-term illness. The study, conducted in the United States, analyzed data from 81,280 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 between March 1, 2020, and June 30, 2022, and 10,985 patients hospitalized for seasonal influenza between Oct 1, 2015, and Feb 28, 2019.
The research followed participants for up to 18 months, assessing risks and burdens related to death, 94 individual health outcomes, 10 organ systems, overall burden across all organ systems, readmission, and admission to intensive care. Compared to seasonal influenza, patients in the COVID-19 group showed an increased risk of death over the 18-month period.
The study’s comparative analysis of 94 prespecified health outcomes revealed that COVID-19 was associated with a higher risk (68.1% of 94) than seasonal influenza (6.4% of 94), including a higher risk in almost every organ system except the pulmonary system.
The analysis of organ systems indicated that COVID-19 presented a higher risk across all systems, except for the pulmonary system, where the risk was higher for seasonal influenza.
The lead author of the study, Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly from Washington University, emphasized the importance of recognizing the potential long-term health effects of viral infections. He stated, “Many people think they’re over COVID-19 or the flu after being discharged from the hospital. That may be true for some people. But our research shows that both viruses can cause long-haul illness.”
The study highlights the need for greater prevention of hospital admissions for both COVID-19 and seasonal influenza, as well as increased attention to the care needs of individuals experiencing long-term health effects from these infections. The researchers emphasized the cumulative burden of health loss associated with both viruses and called for a deeper understanding of the impact on chronic diseases.
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