Unnecessary use of steroids causing post-COVID complications in patients: Study

Hyderabad: Not only COVID-19, but post-COVID complications are causing severe problems in 40 per cent of recovered patients.

Steroids administered unnecessarily is one of the big causes of post-COVID complications among recovered patients, according to a pan-India survey conducted by a reputed Hyderabad-based Asian Institute of Gastroenterology ( AIG ) Hospitals.

Another startling aspect in the survey was that out of 74 per cent of COVID-19 positive patients received steroids, while only 34 per cent received oxygen.

“We believe there is some correlation between irrational use of steroids and post-COVID complications because as per the guidelines we are supposed to give steroids in COVID patients only to those who require oxygen,” said Dr D Nageshwar Reddy, Chairman, AIG Hospitals.

The five main complications observed in post-Covid syndrome includes Lungs Fibrosis, Auto Immune, Cardiac problems, Neuro issues and Brain - in terms of neuron loss.

It is being estimated from this survey that over one crore people who have recovered from COVID-19 are having post-COVID complications.

“We are seeing many such post-COVID patients in our hospital but this survey gave us the true picture of this post-COVID syndrome. If this is an indication to go by then we are looking at over one crore people in India who have recovered from COVID but still are having certain symptoms,” added Dr.D.Nageshwar Reddy.

The AIG Hospitals announced a “post-COVID care clinic” comprising a multi-disciplinary team with experts from Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Neurology, Nephrology, Rheumatology, Psychiatry and Orthopedics among others.