A total of 75,276 patients were included in the analysis with a mean age of 71.1 years (56% male) and with the majority (73.5%) being of white ethnicity. The existence of one or more comorbidities was present in 81% of participants. and the overall rate of COVID-19 complications was 49.7%. The most common complications reported affected the renal system (24.3%), systemic effects (16.3%), gastrointestinal (10.8%), cardiovascular (12.3%), neurological (4.3%) and respiratory (18.4%). Males aged 60 years and over, suffered the highest rate of complications (54.5%) although COVID-19 complications were common across all demographics. For example, among patients aged 19–29 years and without any comorbidities, 21.1% experienced at least one complication, whereas in those aged 50 years and older, the complications occurred in 51.3% of patients. Interestingly, among patients who survived 28 days from first symptoms to discharge, 44% suffered complications and 26.6% of whom, had a worse ability to self-care than prior to their illness. The authors noted the high level of complications experienced by survivors. The most common were renal and in particular acute kidney injury which is known to be associated with substantial long-term morbidity. They also remarked upon how COVID-19 complications had developed in young and previously healthy individuals and how such complications are known to have a negative impact on long-term morbidity.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)00799-6/fulltext
