The Unseen Toll: Post-Covid Patients’ Elevated Year-Long Mortality Risk

In a groundbreaking revelation, a study orchestrated by the esteemed Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has unveiled startling data: individuals grappling with post-Covid conditions after being discharged from hospitals are nearly three times more likely to face the grim reaper within the subsequent year, in stark contrast to their asymptomatic counterparts.

Key Findings of the Study

The meticulous research, which spanned a vast pool of 14,419 participants, revealed that a staggering 6.5 percent of patients who were hospitalized due to moderate to severe Covid-19 complications succumbed at the culmination of the one-year follow-up. The study, aptly titled ‘Determinants of post-discharge mortality among hospitalised Covid-19 patients’, has been prominently featured in the Indian Journal of Medical Research (IJMR).

The ICMR, India’s paramount research body, has been diligently maintaining the National Clinical Registry for Covid-19 across 31 pivotal centers nationwide.

• This registry ensures that all hospitalized Covid-19 patients are periodically reached out to via telephone for up to a year post-discharge.
• The data encapsulated in this study was accumulated until February 2023.

Expert Insights

Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan, a distinguished physician and the Co-Chairman of the National Indian Medical Association Covid Task Force, elucidated, “This study doesn’t merely spotlight Covid-19 mortality. It delves deep into a specific subset of individuals who triumphed over their Covid hospitalization, tracing their trajectories over a year to discern how many remained amidst the living by the end of that tenure.”

He further emphasized the criticality of vaccination. Those inoculated with at least one dose prior to contracting the virus exhibited a 60 percent protection against post-discharge mortality. The study further underscores that vaccinated individuals, when juxtaposed with their unvaccinated counterparts, exhibit a significantly reduced mortality rate over the year.

Comparative Analysis

Drawing parallels between Covid-related mortality and other ailments is intricate, as Dr. Jayadevan points out.

• However, India’s mortality rate of 6.5 percent aligns seamlessly with global trends, suggesting a congruence with international data.

Study Limitations

While the study is monumental, it isn’t devoid of limitations.

• The reliance on telephonic follow-ups could potentially lead to under-reporting of symptoms.
• Moreover, the study’s focus on hospitalized patients means its findings might not resonate with the broader spectrum of Covid-19 patients.

As the world grapples with the aftermath of the pandemic, studies like these shed light on the long-term implications of the virus, emphasizing the importance of vaccination and continued research.

*What are your thoughts on the long-term implications of Covid-19? Have you or someone you know experienced post-Covid complications?

Share your experiences and insights below.