August 14 – Scientists on the University of Leeds within the United Kingdom have reported that they’ve discovered an unusual symptom of Long COVID: blue legs.
The study was published in The Lancet focused on a 33-year-old man whose legs turned red after a couple of minute of standing after which became increasingly blue. The blueness became more pronounced and after 10 minutes the person's legs felt heavy and itchy. When he sat down, the conventional color of his legs returned.
The symptom is known as acrocyanosis – a set of blood within the veins of the legs.
“This was a remarkable case of acrocyanosis in a patient who had never had such a condition prior to his COVID-19 infection,” said Dr. Manoj Sivan, Associate Clinical Professor on the University of Leeds School of Medicine, in a Press release.
“Patients who experience this may not be aware that it can be a symptom of long Covid and dysautonomia and may be concerned about what they are seeing. Similarly, doctors may not be aware of the link between acrocyanosis and long Covid.”
Dysautonomia is a bunch of medical disorders attributable to problems with the autonomic nervous system. The patient within the UK was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a typical type of dysautonomia wherein an individual's heart rate increases when standing.
According to Sivan, doctors must be more aware of dysautonomia in Long Covid in order that they’ll treat their patients appropriately.
The more common symptoms of Long COVID include fatigue, difficulty concentrating, dizziness, upset stomach, heart palpitations, problems with sexual desire or performance, lack of smell or taste, thirst, chronic cough, chest pain, and abnormal movements.