Fortunately, many people only have a mild form of Covid-19 disease. Some people are even completely asymptomatic! Does this prove the absence of long-term sequelae? Not so sure… A German study shows that several vital organs (heart, kidney, lungs) can be damaged after contamination by SARS-CoV-2, even in the absence of a severe form of the disease.
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The trial was conducted in Hamburg, Germany. The study, published in European Heart Journal, included 443 people who contracted the disease from Covid-19 without making severe form and 1,328 witnesses. All participants were between 45 and 74 years old. The control group and the patient group were matched on age, sex and level of education. Ten months after the infection, the patients participated in a series of examinations allowing a complete assessment of the organism.
Several injured organs
The researchers were able to highlight lesions on several organs. At lung level, a reduction in the volume pulmonary by about 3%. At the level of the heart, a 1 to 2% decrease in the pumping force of the organ was observed. Always at heart level, the concentration of troponin increased by 14% and that of peptide natriuretic NT-proBNP of 41%. Troponin is a protein from muscle fibers of the heart ; it is involved in regulating the contraction of the heart muscle. When heart cells die, they release troponin. An increase in troponin is therefore synonymous with cardiac damage, such as a myocardial infarction. The natriuretic peptide NT-proBNP is also a marker ofheart failure. At the level of the kidney, a decrease in renal function of 2% was demonstrated.
A history of thromboses were observed more frequently (2 to 3 times) in the sick group compared to the control group. However, no significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of brain. There was no more depression or anxiety in one group than in the other.
Significant lesions
Surprisingly, we therefore see that patients who had a Covid-19 which looked like a simple cold, a priori cured, can in fact have sequelae several months after the infection. Particularly in the heart, a permanent reduction in the pumping capacity of the heart could lead to an increased risk of heart failure. The authors therefore recommend monitoring cardiac function in the months following the infection, if this does not normalize spontaneously. Furthermore, this study reinforces the idea already suggested by other publications of a link between Covid-19 and venous thrombosis.
The authors encourage practitioners to be particularly vigilant in the event of suspicion of venous thrombosis in a patient positive for Covid-19. This new study allows us to know a little more about this mysterious SARS-CoV-2. She encourages doctors to also monitor patients with mild symptoms.
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