Study finds increased risk of rheumatic disease up to 1 year after Covid infection

A global study suggests that individuals who have had a Covid-19 infection may be at a high risk of developing autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIRDs) for up to a year. The risk increases with the severity of the Covid infection, even among those who have been vaccinated. Researchers from South Korea, Spain, the US, and UK have warned about this potential long-term health complication.

The study, published in Annals of Internal Medicine, highlights the association between Covid-19 infection and the increased risk of AIRDs. The researchers emphasized that these findings are based on comparisons between those infected with SARS-CoV-2 and those who are not, which could be influenced by various factors like health-seeking behavior and inherent risk factors within different groups.

To delve deeper into the impact of Covid-19 on the long-term risk for AIRDs, a team from Kyung Hee University in Seoul conducted a study involving over 10 million Korean and 12 million Japanese adults. The data included individuals with Covid-19 between January 2020 and December 2021, matched with patients who had influenza infection as well as uninfected control patients. The onset of AIRDs was assessed at 1, 6, and 12 months post Covid-19 or influenza infection.

The results of the study revealed that there is an increased risk of developing AIRDs up to 12 months after Covid-19 infection, with the risk escalating with the severity of the initial Covid-19 illness. The researchers noted, “SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with increased risk for AIRD compared with matched patients without SARS-CoV-2 infection or with influenza infection. The risk for AIRD was higher with greater severity of acute Covid-19.”

Although Covid-19 vaccination was found to reduce the risk of AIRDs, individuals who had severe Covid-19 infections, even after being vaccinated, still had a high risk of developing AIRDs. This study sheds light on the potential long-term consequences of Covid-19 infections on autoimmune diseases and emphasizes the importance of monitoring and managing the health of individuals post Covid-19 recovery.