Despite massive COVID-19 research efforts, we're still in the early stages of understanding the disease. One specific area we can only now begin to investigate is the longer-term consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

There is now an initial study looking at sequelae, or aftereffects, of COVID-19. The results indicate that people who have recovered from COVID-19 have an almost 60% increased risk of death in the six months after their infection, and are at high risk of developing certain other conditions.

A recent report from the Washington University School of Medicine, currently available as a preprint manuscript in Nature, involved a study of more than 87,000 COVID-19 patients and nearly 5 million control patients from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. In addition to the increase in mortality risk in those who previously had COVID-19 — even in people with mild COVID-19 — there are some striking, statistically significant findings of the study.

Most notably, people who suffered SARS-CoV-2 infection appear to have substantial increased risk of the following sequelae after six months, with a risk gradient that increases with the severity of their COVID-19 infection:

• recurrent viral infections and pneumonia (non-TB)
• malaise, fatigue, and other neurologic signs and symptoms
• acute pulmonary embolism (three times greater risk)
• phlebitis (twice the risk)
• cardiovascular signs, symptoms, and conditions
• diabetes mellitus

The results seem to suggest that people who have recovered from COVID-19 have higher risk of a progression of underlying conditions, such as worsened diabetes, heart failure, and COPD.

Stay tuned for more research on the long-term after-effects of COVID-19 and strategies to mitigate their impacts.

If you’re concerned about the aftereffects of COVID-19, a good first step is connecting with a HealthTap virtual primary care doctor. With HealthTap’s virtual primary care program, you can choose your own doctor — and get ongoing care and guidance from the same doctor — all while managing care remotely. You can also be referred for in-person care when you need it.