It is surprising how post-covid syndrome affects patients who had mild forms of the disease, says the head of the Marius Nasta Institute in Bucharest, Beatrice Mahler. According to her, half of the patients who go to the doctor for a post-covid examination have a cough, fatigue on exertion and repeated respiratory infections.

• “It’s amazing how the post-covid syndrome feels in patients who had mild forms of Covid.
• I mean young people, people who did not need antiviral treatment or hospitalization during the period of illness, but who after three to six months turn to a pulmonologist with an accusation of symptoms that are not necessarily violent, but unpleasant: cough, fatigue with loads, repeated respiratory infections. (…)
• They are quite frequent (cases – no). I would say that half of the patients who appear for a post-covid examination have this type of disorder,” the doctor said on Wednesday, as quoted by Agerpres.

Lung damage similar to that seen in people who have smoked for more than 20 years

Beatrice Mahler said the lung damage in these patients is similar to that seen in people who have smoked for more than 20 years.

• “The examination we are conducting in functional laboratories highlights the change in lung function that occurs at the level of the air sacs, at the level of the alveoli, probably due to an immune mechanism specific to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
• To understand things, I would compare with people who smoke. Because we find the same damage to the bags in patients who smoke for more than 20 years. It’s surprising, at least to me, and it’s surprising given the conditions in which I’ve had patients who have had no episodes of infection and several episodes, admittedly all mild, but in which lung function at this level was significantly affected,” – Mahler explained.

In a significant part of patients, pulmonary function is restored, but not completely

According to the doctor, in a large part of those who have and have this post-acute disorder, lung function is restored, but not completely.

• “A significant part recovers the function of the lungs, but not completely.
• The symptoms are improving, but the treatment we have at the moment is non-specific because it is a new disease that we know very little about and that we treat with the methods that we have.
• That is, many times corticotherapy, respiratory physiotherapy, less broncholytic therapy, because the inhalation sprays that we administer to patients with COPD and asthma do not reach such a level as to have an effect,” added the head of the Marius Nasta Institute.