According to the study, his legs began to redden a minute after standing and gradually became blue, with the veins becoming more visible.
Research published in The Lancet journal highlighted an uncommon occurrence of a long Covid patient’s legs becoming blue after 10 minutes of standing.
The paper examined the case of a 33-year-old man who acquired acrocyanosis, which is characterized by blood pooling in the veins of the legs.
According to a study from the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom, his legs continued to redden and became progressively blue over time, with the veins becoming more visible. The legs of a Long Covid patient went blue after only 10 minutes of standing: Study
After 10 minutes of standing, the color became considerably more prominent, with the patient expressing a heavy, itching sensation in his legs.
His natural color, however, returned two minutes after he resumed a non-standing position.
According to the researchers, the patient stated that the discoloration began after his COVID-19 infection.
“This was a striking case of acrocyanosis in a patient who had never had it before his COVID-19 infection,” said Manoj Sivan, lead author of the research and associate clinical professor at the university’s School of Medicine. The legs of a Long Covid patient went blue after only 10 minutes of standing: Study
The legs of a Long Covid patient went blue after only 10 minutes of standing: Study
The patient was subsequently diagnosed with POTS, a disorder that causes an abnormal rise in heart rate when standing.
The legs of a Long Covid patient went blue after only 10 minutes of standing: Study
Long Covid has been found to influence numerous physiological systems, including the autonomic nervous system, which is in charge of regulating involuntary activities such as heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, digestion, and sexual desire.
Acrocyanosis has previously been found in children with autonomic nervous system malfunction (dysautonomia), which is a typical sign of post-viral syndromes. The legs of a Long Covid patient went blue after only 10 minutes of standing: Study
“Patients who are experiencing this may be unaware that it is a symptom of long Covid and dysautonomia, and they may be concerned about what they are witnessing.” Similarly, doctors may be unaware of the connection between acrocyanosis and extended Covid,” Sivan noted.The legs of a Long Covid patient went blue after only 10 minutes of standing: Study
A previous study by Sivan’s team has revealed that dysautonomia and POTS are common in persons with Long Covid.
Dysautonomia is also observed in a variety of other chronic illnesses, including Fibromyalgia and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, generally known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or ME, which both impair muscles and produce discomfort.
According to the researchers, the patient’s example underlined the need for better awareness of this symptom among those suffering from this ailment.
The legs of a Long Covid patient went blue after only 10 minutes of standing: Study
“We need to raise awareness of dysautonomia in long-term care so that clinicians have the tools they need to manage patients appropriately,” Sivan added.
Long Covid encompasses symptoms such as tiredness, brain fog, sadness, and anxiety, among others, which have a significant influence on patients’ capacity to conduct daily tasks and their quality of life, which has been reported to be worse in certain circumstances than that of advanced cancer patients.
