06 October 2023 , 14:15
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'Long colds' may exist and could even be as prevalent as long Covid, according to a new study.
Scientists from Queen Mary University of London found that people can experience prolonged symptoms following respiratory infections, despite testing negative for Covid-19. Some of the most common symptoms of long cold were coughing, stomach pain and diarrhoea, lasting for more than four weeks after infection.
The study, published in The Lancet's EClinicalMedicine journal, analysed data from 10,203 participants in the Covidence UK study on coronavirus in the population. Of these, 1,343 had suffered a Covid infection, and 472 had a respiratory infection that tested negative for Covid. But the same amount - 22% of both groups - experienced prolonged symptoms after infection.
The study found there was a "similar risk of prolonged symptoms" regardless of whether the infection was Covid or non-Covid related. Professor Adrian Martineau, from Queen Mary University of London, noted that those with Covid in the study were more likely to experience known coronavirus symptoms such as taste and smell problems, light-headedness or dizziness, heart palpitations, sweating and hair loss.
Individuals in the non-Covid group were more likely to have a cough or a hoarse voice than those with Covid, which is surprising given that a cough is often associated with Covid. Both groups experienced breathlessness and fatigue. The research also suggested that the severity of an illness increases the likelihood of long-term symptoms. However, the experts emphasised the need for further studies to understand why some people suffer lingering symptoms, while others do not.
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Lead author Giulia Vivaldi from Queen Mary University of London, said: “Our findings shine a light not only on the impact of long Covid on people’s lives, but also other respiratory infections. A lack of awareness – or even the lack of a common term – prevents both reporting and diagnosis of these conditions. As research into long Covid continues, we need to take the opportunity to investigate and consider the lasting effects of other acute respiratory infections.These ‘long’ infections are so difficult to diagnose and treat primarily because of a lack of diagnostic tests and there being so many possible symptoms. There have been more than 200 (symptoms) investigated for long Covid alone.”
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