Researchers have said there are three different “types” of long-lasting Covid.
Experts at King’s College London said there appear to be three “subtypes” of the disease, each with its own set of symptoms.
Researchers looked at 1,459 people living with long-term Covid – defined by the study authors as having symptoms for at least 84 days after infection – who were taking part in the Zoe Health study.
The preprint of the study, published on medRxiv, states that people with long-term Covid appear to fall into three main groups, including:
– Those with neurological symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog and headache, which are more common among those who were infected when the most dominant strains were alpha and delta.
– A second group experienced respiratory symptoms such as chest pain and difficulty breathing. This was most commonly found among those infected during the first wave of the virus.
– A final group is experiencing a wide range of symptoms, including heart palpitations, muscle aches and pains and changes to the skin and hair, King’s College said.
But the researchers said these three subtypes were evident in all variants.
The clinic’s lead author, Dr Claire Steves, from King’s College London, said: “These data clearly show that post-Covid syndrome is not just one condition, but appears to have several subtypes.
“Understanding the root causes of these subtypes can help find treatment strategies.
“In addition, these data emphasize the need for long-term Covid services to incorporate a personalized approach sensitive to the problems of each individual.”
First author Dr Liane Canas, from King’s College London, added: “This knowledge could help in the development of personalized diagnosis and treatment for these people.”