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Some respiratory viral infections can be followed by weeks of persistent respiratory, cardiovascular, and functional symptoms, according to an analysis published in Respirology. The review, which included 13 studies involving 631,863 participants, found that influenza had the strongest evidence for long-term effects. In one cohort, 23% of adults reported persistent symptoms 12 weeks after influenza, while a separate claims study found 10% of patients remained symptomatic at 6 months. Postacute complications varied by virus, and most of the studies leaned heavily toward hospitalized patients. Among adults hospitalized with respiratory syncytial virus, cardiovascular events occurred in 16% of patients between 29 days and 6 months after discharge. Among adults hospitalized with human metapneumovirus, 55.4% had persistent symptoms beyond 3 months, most commonly dyspnea, fatigue, and cough.
Pesky symptoms not exclusive to “long COVID”: The authors conclude that clinicians should recognize postacute sequelae following respiratory viruses, particularly after severe illness. However, the authors did not study post-COVID complications specifically, making a point that that persistent symptoms are not unique to COVID-19 and may occur after other respiratory viral infections as well.
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