It has still not been conclusively clarified which consequential damage can occur as a result of a corona infection. Researchers now fear that infected people could age faster.
Persistent tiredness, loss of the sense of taste and smell and more: patients infected with the coronavirus sometimes still have to struggle with symptoms months after the illness. Experts are already talking about the so-called post-Covid syndrome. Researchers fear further long-term consequences – this also includes Prof. Dr. Stefan Schreiber from the University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein in Kiel, who researches, among other things, chronic inflammation and aging processes.
Are we aging faster due to Corona?
In an interview with Die Welt, the expert fears that that the coronavirus could cause our organs to age faster, even with a mild course of the disease: "In addition to the specific consequences of the disease, the virus also initially accelerates the aging processes of the internal organs unnoticed. A 30-year-old who gets the infection could have the lungs or heart of a 40-year-old in two years – or in ten years the lungs or heart a 60-year-old. "
Although Covid-19 mainly affects the airways or the lungs, the disease can also spread to other organs. Current studies suggest that the organs could be damaged in the long term by an infection. In addition, the viruses often seem to infect certain cells called the endothelium. These cells form the walls of blood vessels throughout the body, which, as previous research shows, are often damaged by corona.
Endothelia die from infection
If the endothelia die as a result of the infection, the immune system is activated – and reacts to it quite radically, as Schreiber explains: "Damage is first isolated, then the affected tissue is destroyed, it throws a bomb into it, so to speak, in order to then rebuild it. But when that happens over such a large area, there is enormous turmoil Signal storm that continues to fuel itself. "
Although the damage should be able to be repaired after the infection has been overcome, the expert suspects that the endothelia could still suffer long-term consequences from the infection. And since the cells are also involved in the blood supply to the organs, this could in turn affect their aging processes.
Corona patients should participate in the study
So far there is no evidence to support these expert guesses – That is why he and his team call on all Corona patients in Schleswig-Holstein who have tested positive to come to the University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein in Kiel for regular check-ups. Those affected should be examined for possible long-term damage to the organs, with the heart, lungs, kidneys, metabolism, liver and nervous system being the main focus. Overall, the study should run for 24 months, but patients should agree to take part in follow-up examinations after five or ten years.