Long-range COVID deserves more attention, UTSW expert says: Newsroom

Dr. Kathleen Bell, Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

DALLAS – AUGUST 23, 2022 – More than 1 million Americans have died from COVID-19, and while public attention is focused on ongoing levels of cases and hospitalizations, tens of millions of patients will die. have developed symptoms that change their lives and linger long afterward. Their COVID-19 infection is cleared.But said the subject of long-distance COVID has not been sufficiently discussed Kathleen Bell, M.D.Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), UT Southwestern.

“People look at the mortality rate, but what they don’t understand is how many people are long-term or potentially permanently disabled by this disorder. It’s really taxing.” said a neurorehabilitation specialist.

Although there is not yet a consensus definition of long-term COVID-19 infection, most experts agree that it is an unexpectedly long duration of one or more symptoms of COVID-19. she explained. These symptoms can span a wide range of seemingly unrelated things, such as fatigue, breathing discomfort, brain fog, irregular heartbeats, neuropathy and sensory problems such as loss of taste and smell.

UT Southwestern was one of the nation’s first universities to establish an individualized outpatient rehabilitation program. COVID recovery, helping patients restore muscle, lung and brain function, as well as restore mental health and psychological well-being in the early days of a pandemic. said the number of individuals seeking help with COVID symptoms across the globe is staggering. Also, many of the patients did not require hospitalization, but symptoms persisted for several weeks later.

Stephen Lummus participates in the exercise program of UT Southwestern’s COVID Recover program, which aims to help those suffering from the long-term effects of COVID-19.

“The sheer number of people with symptoms is pretty amazing,” said Dr. Bell. podcast Published by the Infectious Diseases Association of America.

About 13% of patients experience a post-COVID-19 condition for at least a month after infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 30% of his hospitalized patients have not fully recovered after six months.

To combat long-range COVID, Dr. Bell and her colleagues use many of the same strategies used for recovery in other long-term conditions. For example, targeted exercise and rest can help patients overcome some symptoms over time.

Long-term studies are needed to determine the best standard of care, she said, and additional resources will be needed to provide care and rehabilitation services for the growing population of long-distance COVID patients. For now, Dr. Bell said the best strategy is to get vaccinations, including boosters, and try to avoid infection by wearing masks indoors and in crowds.

“From a long-term health and productivity standpoint, I don’t think we’ll see the full cost of this pandemic in the years to come,” Dr. Bell added. We have a personal and social responsibility to ensure that we do not infect others.”

UT Southwestern is ranked 27th in the nation for rehabilitation. US News & World Report.

About UT Southwestern Medical Center

One of the nation’s leading academic medical centers, UT Southwestern combines pioneering biomedical research with excellence in clinical care and education. The institution’s faculty has won his six Nobel Prizes, his 26 members of the National Academy of Sciences, his 17 members of the National Academy of Medicine, and 14 Howard Hughes Medical Institute research person is included. More than 2,900 full-time faculty members are responsible for groundbreaking medical advances and are committed to rapidly translating science-driven research into new clinical treatments. A UT Southwestern physician, in more than 80 specialties, he provides care to over 100,000 inpatients, over 360,000 emergency room cases, and supervises nearly 4 million outpatient visits annually. .