Post-Covid Syndroom Uitgebreid

If you have been infected with the Covid-19 (coronavirus) virus, the following physical complaints play a role:

• Pulmonary complaints, such as dry cough, sneezing and sore throat
• Serious functional decline due to immobilization during the illness. Consider symptoms such as muscle weakness, loss of condition and fatigue and malnutrition in the elderly. Malnutrition can also occur as a result of loss of smell and taste, which reduces appetite.
• Post IC syndrome mainly occurs in patients with severe Covid-19 infections requiring admission to the ICU was necessary.

In addition, after a coronavirus infection, a combination of these physical, cognitive and psychological complaints play a role. Other complaints that occur are pressure ulcers (skin defects due to friction of skin with another material), lung damage (corona obstructive pulmonary disease (COLD)), anxiety and neuromuscular abnormalities.

We have put together two post-covid syndrome blood test packages aimed at these complaints. With the basic post-corona syndrome package we look at the presence of remnants of infection, kidney status and we look at the blood itself to see whether explanations can be found for complaints such as fatigue. With the extensive post-corona syndrome package, we also look at the fitness level of the heart, whether active muscle breakdown is taking place by measuring muscle breakdown products and the nutritional status.

Post-corona syndrome blood test determinations

Fatigue: Hemoglobin, MCV and Iron

With this we test for a common cause of fatigue, namely anemia. Anemia mainly causes fatigue and feeling weak and lethargic. These are complaints that often occur after a coronavirus infection. However, there are many different types of anemia. We make a distinction between macrocytic anemia, normocytic anemia and microcytic anemia by looking at the MCV. The MCV is therefore a way to start looking for the cause. A blood test for anemia therefore always contains the Hb value and the MCV value. If fatigue occurs after an infection with the coronavirus and the cause is reduced hemoglobin, proper and adequate treatment can be provided. Iron is included as standard because this is the most common cause of anemia. A low iron level can be caused by a disturbed diet, such as after infection with Covid.

Infection status: BSE

BSE stands for blood sedimentation rate and is a marker for inflammation or infection in the body. As a rule of thumb, the higher the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, the more serious the infection. Do you feel sick after a coronavirus infection? Do you want to know if you are recovering? Then this determination is an adequate determination to quickly gain insight into your disease progression or recovery. With a normal erythrocyte sedimentation rate, acute and / or chronic inflammation can virtually be ruled out.

Kidney function: Creatinine & eGFR

We also include kidney function in the post-corona syndrome blood test package. Kidney function is calculated with the creatinine value. This is a breakdown product of muscles and protein metabolism. In most cases, creatinine is released at a constant rate, unless there are problems with, for example, muscle breakdown and / or muscle building. We see this, for example, after a changed nutritional status, as is the case with a post-covid infection (a Covid infection). We express kidney function in the eGFR, or the estimated GFR, the glomerular filtration ratio. The reason that creatinine can be used for kidney function blood tests is because it passes through the kidneys virtually unchanged. All broken down creatinine is excreted and virtually no creatinine is reabsorbed by the reabsorption system.

Heart function and muscle function: Creatinine Kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LD)

With creatinine kinase (CK) you can determine whether someone has damage to muscles in the body. When muscle cells are affected, such as during a corona infection, the cells leak. CK is an enzyme and is released in the process. CK also occurs in the heart, after all the heart is also a muscle. Then we call it CK-MB. The amount of CK in the blood increases when skeletal muscle or heart muscle cells are damaged. Lactate dehydrogenase (LD) is released during tissue damage in the heart, liver, lungs and muscles. So you also take lung function into account. However, the LD is not specific enough, and that is why we use the CK as a supplement.

Nutritional status: Leukocytes, Magnesium, ALT, Albumin

Leukocytes are white blood cells. This gives us an idea of the immune system and there is also an indication of malnutrition at low values. Magnesium is an electrolyte and shows low values with malnutrition and high values with dehydration. ALT is a liver enzyme. Malnutrition can also have an effect on the liver cells. We use this to test for liver damage. Albumin is a protein produced by the liver. The same applies to this as with magnesium. Low values indicate malnutrition and high values indicate dehydration.