In the UK, around two million people are thought to be living with long covid, suffering symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog and coughing.
But scientists have found that women are up to a third more likely to be affected by long covid than men.
Researchers based in Texas used National Institutes of Health (NIH) data from more than 12,200 participants over the age of 18 who had previously had Covid in the United States and Puerto Rico.
Subjects were asked to complete a survey detailing their symptoms every three months for four years, followed by an in-person physical exam.
The survey asked about the experience of symptoms associated with long covid, including feeling tired, brain fog, dizziness, palpitations, loss or change in sense of smell or taste, thirst, chronic cough, chest pain, shortness of breath and snoring or sleeping. apnea.
Researchers looked for trends in the data that could suggest that certain age groups and genders are more likely to suffer from the condition, which is thought to affect around 2 million people in England.
Scientists have found that women are more likely to be affected by long covid than men
The University of Leicester study found four in five ‘long Covid’ patients were still suffering symptoms five months after leaving hospital. These included shortness of breath, slowed thinking and muscle pain.
The researchers controlled for other factors that can lead to long covid symptoms, such as pregnancy and menopause.
Scientists have found that the highest risk of developing this disease is among women aged 40 to 55.
Overall, being female was associated with a 31% increased risk of long covid..
Researchers have suggested several explanations for this increased risk; one being the impact of menopause on the immune system, which causes the body’s fighting cells to overreact.
Female sex hormones also decline with age; and higher levels of estrogen and relatively lower levels of testosterone have been associated with long-term elevated risk in women.
The study authors said further research is needed to identify why female gender is a risk factor and what changes can be made to improve the management of long covid and the development of any targeted drugs.
Previous research carried out by experts at the University of Leicester in 2021, looking at 1,077 people with long covid, found that two in five had reduced their workload or were unwell due to their ongoing symptoms.
They also found evidence of organ damage in patients and that those who needed mechanical ventilation took longer to recover from long Covid.
Separate data from the University of Glasgow, also from 2021, further highlighted the plight of long-term Covid victims, saying women under 50 were worst affected.
US authorities suggest that one in ten people who catch the virus will develop the disease. In the UK, two million people are reported to be living with long Covid, including 112,000 children.
Extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, dizziness, brain fog, joint and muscle pain are all telltale signs of this condition.
