The UK C-MORE/PHOSP-COVID research collaboration studied how COVID-19 affects different organs following discharge from hospital. The MRI follow-up study (C-MORE) used MRI scans to look at the lungs, heart, brain, liver and kidneys of COVID-19 patients and compared them to people who did not have COVID-19. They found that many COVID-19 patients had issues in multiple organs compared to those without COVID-19. These issues were more common in the lungs, brain and kidneys.
The C-MORE patients [259 adults] were recruited from the PHOSP-COVID cohort. Patients with organ problems were usually older, had more health issues and had a more severe COVID-19 infection while in the hospital. Those with lung issues were more likely to feel tightness in their chest afterward. Those with multiple organ issues had more severe ongoing health problems after leaving the hospital.
In summary, this study shows that, after COVID-19 hospitalisation, people are at risk of multi-organ abnormalities in the medium term. Findings emphasise the need for healthcare to involve different specialists working together to help these patients, and using imaging like MRI scans could help guide treatment and follow-up.
For more information, visit The Lancet to read the published article.
Professor Jeremy Brown is a Principal Investigator in the PHOSP-COVID group
Breathing Matters helped support the delivery of the study
15.11.23