According to a new international research that was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, those who have contracted Covid-19 may be at a higher risk for autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic disorders (AIRDs) for up to a year following their infection. Teams from South Korea, Spain, the US, and the UK conducted the research, which emphasizes that even among people who have received vaccinations, this risk still exists.
Researchers from Kyung Hee University in Seoul carried out an extensive study comprising over 10 million Korean and 12 million Japanese individuals to learn more about the long-term impact of Covid-19 on AIRD risk. Data from January 2020 to December 2021 were examined, and Covid-19 cases were matched to influenza cases and control persons who were not afflicted. After that, the data was evaluated for the emergence of AIRD at 1, 6, and 12 months after contracting influenza or Covid-19.
The study’s findings demonstrated a significant rise in the risk of AIRD up to a full year after contracting Covid-19, with the risk increasing in proportion to the severity of the original Covid-19 infection.
The researchers underlined that, in comparison to comparable individuals lacking Covid-19 or those infected with influenza, SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with an increased incidence of AIRD. Furthermore, people with more severe acute Covid-19 symptoms were shown to have a greater likelihood of developing AIRD. “Compared to matched patients without SARS-CoV-2 infection or with influenza infection, SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with an increased risk for AIRD.” More severe acute Covid-19 symptoms increased the chance for AIRD, the researchers reported in their publication.
Even though it has been demonstrated that immunization against Covid-19 lowers the risk of AIRD, those who had severe Covid-19 even after receiving the vaccine were still at increased risk of getting AIRD.
These results emphasize the need for more study on the long-term health effects of COVID-19, especially in light of the virus’s propensity to cause autoimmune inflammatory diseases, and they also emphasize the value of vaccination in reducing these risks.
-Raja Aditya
