THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A pioneering pathological study conducted on the bodies of Covid victims found that the virus affected all the major organs causing tiny, but multiple blood clots. A detailed examination found that the disease affects the lungs, kidneys, liver, pancreas, bones, thyroid glands and even the brain irrespective of the age of the victims.
The study assumes significance as it enables doctors and medical researchers to have a better understanding of the disease and indicates the need for pointed treatment. And this could provide a greater insight into a few emerging areas, including post-Covid neurological and gynaecology problems.
“The study found that blood thinning medicines given to reduce clots in major blood vessels of Covid patients were effective. A detailed examination of the organs shed light on multiple clots in the small capillaries which affected their functioning. It is also significant that we could find traces of viruses deep inside the brain. Only a few viruses and bacteria are known to cross the blood-brain barrier. The damage caused by the virus in the brain could be a major study,” said Dr J S Sravan, a senior resident of AIIMS. The Thiruvananthapuram-native is one of the four doctors involved in the first ever autopsy study on Covid dead in the country.
The study was conducted on Covid victims in the 25 -84 age group, which comprised an almost equal number of males and females. “The age and gender did not have much significance on the impact of the disease on organs. The number of clots were slightly higher in older persons,” said Sravan.
The study was conducted on 21 bodies between August 16 and October 23 last year. The disease was relatively new then and the team had to get special permission and set up protocol to initiate the study. “The guideline was to send the bodies of Covid-infected to the crematorium without any autopsy. We also had a tough time getting consent from the victims’ kin for the study,” said Sravan. The team had to self-isolate for four months to conduct the study. “I had to send my wife home before the study while the other faculty members also isolated themselves. It requires a secure facility, which is available only at 4 or 5 places in the country, to conduct the procedures. That is the reason why a study on this is limited,” he said.
The study was conducted on Covid victims in 25-84 age group, which comprised an almost equal number of males and females. The team had to self-isolate for four months for the study