One in eight adult patients with covid-19 develops long-term symptoms of the disease, according to estimates from a Dutch study published this Thursday by the British medical journal. “Lancets”.

Researchers from the University of Groningen compared the frequency of new or severe symptoms in an uninfected population with those diagnosed with covid-19, providing a more reliable estimate of the long-term prevalence of the disease than previous studies.

According to the study, which found that one in eight patients experienced long-term symptoms, 21.4% of adults with covid experienced at least one new or severe symptom three to five months after infection.

The study also looked at people’s symptoms before and after SARS-CoV-2 infection.

This made it possible to identify the main symptoms of long-term covid: chest pain, shortness of breath, pain when breathing, muscle pain, loss of taste and smell, tingling in the extremities, lump in the throat, feeling hot and cold, heaviness in the arms and/or legs and general tiredness.

The study provides one of the first comparisons of long-term symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection with symptoms in an uninfected population, as well as measuring symptoms in individuals before and after COVID-19.

“There is an urgent need for data reporting the scale and extent of long-term symptoms experienced by some patients after the COVID-19 illness,” said Judith Rosmalen of the University of Groningen, lead author of the study.

“Our study approach looks at the symptoms most commonly associated with long-term COVID-19, including respiratory problems, fatigue, and loss of taste and/or smell, both prior to COVID-19 diagnosis and in undiagnosed individuals.” it adds.