​People hospitalized for COVID-19 may face increased risk of death, study reveals |

Individuals, who recovered after COVID-19 hospitalization are at increased risk of death, and other serious health risks. A new study has revealed the alarming long-term health risks of COVID-19 hospitalization.
The study published in Infectious Diseasessays that survivors of COVID-19 hospitalization face an increased risk of death or organ-related disorders for up to two-and-a-half years after discharge.
The researchers studied 64,000 French residents to learn more about the long-term health effects of COVID-19. They also stressed that such individuals need healthcare and monitoring.

“These findings are a stark reminder of the far-reaching impact of COVID-19, which extends far beyond the initial infection,” lead author Dr. Sarah Tubiana, who specializes in infectious diseases, at the Clinical Investigation Center at Bichat Hospital (Paris) said in a release.
“While much attention has been given to the immediate dangers of the virus. Our research shows that hospitalized COVID-19 survivors remain at greater risk of severe health complications months and even years later. The long-term implications for public health are significant,” Dr. Tubiana added.

Researchers looked at 63,990 adults admitted to hospital with COVID-19 between January and August 2020. These individuals of an average age of 65 years, with 53.1% male, were compared with 319,891 people from the general population of similar age, sex and, location, who were not hospitalized for COVID-19 during the time.

The study revealed that those who recovered after COVID-19 hospitalization had a higher rate of deaths from any cause (5,218 per 100,000 person-years) compared to the control group (4,013 per 100,000 person-years). They are also more likely to be hospitalized, as they may have an increased risk of neurological, psychiatric, cardiovascular, and respiratory problems. This applies regardless of gender. The exception is only for psychiatric, as women have an increased risk. The study also suggested that the re-hospitalization is also higher for such individuals. In people older than 70, re-hospitalization for organ-specific disorders too is higher.

The study further revealed how the risk of neurological, respiratory disorders, chronic kidney failure, and diabetes, elevated for up to 30 months after hospitalization.

“Even 30 months after hospitalization, COVID-19 patients remained at an increased risk of death or severe health complications, reflecting the long-lasting, wider consequences of the disease on people’s lives. These results highlight the need for further research to understand the mechanisms behind these long-term health risks and how to mitigate them,” Dr Charles Burdet, co-author, and an Infectious Diseases specialist, at Université Paris Cité added.
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