A Scripps
study suggests
the COVID-19
infected people
with no symptoms,
( asymptomatic )
may be getting
damaged lungs.
These studies
are small,
non-randomized,
retrospective
studies.
Conclusion:
The absence of
COVID-19 symptoms
for infected people
may NOT imply
an absence of harm.
Results from China,
Japan, and the US
show that half
or more of the
asymptomatic
COVID-19 cases
have lung damage.
(1)
A Small Chinese Study:
Asymptomatic cases
had a slower immune
response to COVID-19,
which means
they were shedding
the virus over a
longer period of time
than the cases
with symptoms.
A Scripps review
found the rate of lung
damage was
about 50% of the
asymptomatic
cases.
COVID-19 infection
may be impacting
lung function
that might not be
immediately
apparent.
People might
not notice
their lungs were
under performing,
because we have
extra lung capacity
for day to day living.
178 patients
( median age 41 )
with PCR-confirmed
SARS-CoV-2 infection
in the Wanzhou District
in China, included
37 people without
any symptoms.
Lab tests show
there was some
lung damage
in just over half the
asymptomatic group,
and there was some
liver damage too.
(2)
Diamond Princess Cruise Ship:
A CT scan of asymptomatic
people on the ship
( CT = Computed Tomography )
was conducted, and 54%
of 76 asymptomatic
patients, appear to show
significant subclinical
lung abnormalities.
REFERENCES
Long QX, et al
“Clinical and immunological
assessment of asymptomatic
SARS-CoV-2 infections”
Nat Med 2020;
Ran and Topal, (2020)