A significant number of people in India, who have recovered from
COVID-19, have lung function impairment and symptoms that lasted months, according to a study. The study published by Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, has revealed that Indians had higher lung function damage compared with people in Europe and China, The Times of India reported.
While some of these people may recover gradually over a year, others may be forced to live with lung impairment for the rest of their lives, the study said. A total of 207 individuals were examined as part of the study, which has been touted as India's largest to investigate the coronavirus' impact on lung function.
It was recently published in the PLOS Global Public Health journal and was conducted during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 is caused by Severe Acute
Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), while the first case was detected in the city of Wuhan in China in December 2019. Later on, it was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) in March 2020.
The 207 individuals, who took part in the study, had to undergo several tests like minute walk, quality of life assessments, complete
lung function, and blood tests around two months after they recovered from the disease. All of them suffered mild, moderate, and severe
COVID-19 symptoms.The most sensitive lung function test, gas transfer (DLCO), which measures the ability to transfer oxygen from the air breathed to the bloodstream, was affected in 44% of patients. Doctors at Christian Medical College described it as “very worrying”.
At least 35% of them showed signs of a restrictive
lung defect, which would affect the patient's lung's ability to expand with air during breathing, and 8.3% had an obstructive lung defect, which would affect the patient's ability to breathe in and out. Tests of quality of life also showed a negative effect among most of the patients.
“In all aspects, Indian patients fared worse,” the TOI report quoted the principal investigator of the study, Dr DJ Christopher, professor, department of pulmonary medicine, CMC, Vellore as saying.
Moreover, more patients in India had comorbidities like diabetes and hypertension in comparison with the European and Chinese subjects.
(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)
