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6 INFECTION CONTROL 7 long COVID study findings to know By Paige Twenter Women and patients with multiple COVID-19 infections face an increased risk of developing long COVID, recent studies suggest. Here are seven findings from the latest research on long COVID: 1. Multiple infections raise the risk of long COVID e number of COVID-19 infections is positively associated with the risk of developing long COVID, according to findings published in the February issue of e Lancet Regional Health – Americas. Researchers at Stony (N.Y.) Brook University identified 475 long COVID patients among more than 2,500 first responders previously infected with COVID-19. Patients experienced symptoms of fatigue, mental fog and respiratory problems. Of the 475 patients, 403 (84.8%) had experienced multiple COVID-19 infections between March 2020 and February 2024. 2. No major changes in 2nd year Most patients do not recover aer having long COVID for a year, according to research published Jan. 23 in PLOS Medicine. e study analyzed 982 adults with long COVID and 576 controls who visited one of several health centers in Germany for comprehensive assessments. In the long COVID cohort, 67.6% experienced persistent symptoms aer 14 months. Common symptoms included fatigue, exercise intolerance and cognition deficits. ose with persistent long COVID oen experienced loss in handgrip strength, maximal oxygen consumption and ventilatory efficiency compared to the control group. 3. e financial cost Assuming symptoms last one year, managing long COVID can cost a patient between $5,084 and $11,646, according to simulations. Most of these costs stem from productivity losses, a recent study found. For employers, the annual cost is $1.99 billion to $6.49 billion, and for third-party payers, $21 million to $68.5 million. is economic burden outpaces those of some chronic diseases, including carpal tunnel, Lyme disease and psoriasis, according to the study. e researchers accounted for clinical courses, health effects and associated costs such as absenteeism and presenteeism. Results were published Jan. 22 in e Journal of Infectious Diseases. 4. Women are at higher risk than men Women have a greater likelihood of developing long COVID compared to men, according to a study published Jan. 22 in JAMA. Researchers from Boston-based Massachusetts General Hospital, Houston-based University of Texas Health Science Center and other institutions analyzed sex differences in long COVID risk. Among 12,276 patients who previously contracted COVID-19, the female sex was linked to an overall 1.31 times higher risk of long COVID. 5. Racial disparities in symptoms among children A study found that Hispanic, Black, and Asian American and Pacific Islander children with long COVID were more likely than white children to experience certain symptoms, including cognitive function issues and hair loss. e research, published Jan. 21 in Nature Communications, examined 225,723 children and adolescents who had COVID-19 between March 2020 and October 2022. Compared to non-Hispanic white children, AAPI children had a higher risk of developing at least one long COVID-related condition. Black children were more likely to experience cognitive issues, Hispanic children showed a greater prevalence of hair loss, and AAPI children reported increased respiratory symptoms and dysautonomia. Image Credit: Adobe Stock