According to the latest report, avascular necrosis (AVN), or death of bone tissues, could be the next crippling condition among recovered COVID-19 patients.
At least three confirmed cases of avascular necrosis have been scientifically reported from Mumbai, and doctors fear more are likely in the next few months.
This comes two months after the outbreak of mucormycosis or black fungus. However, the common factor between mucormycosis and avascular necrosis is the use of steroids, the only drug proven to help coronavirus patients.
Three young patients, under the age of 40, were diagnosed with AVN two months after they were treated for COVID-19. They were treated at Hinduja Hospital, Mahim. Since these patients sought help early, they didn’t need surgery, a common intervention for avascular necrosis said the doctor.
These patients developed pain in their femur bone (the highest part of the thigh bone) and, since they were doctors, they recognised the symptoms and rushed for treatment.
Dr Agarwala’s research paper, ‘Avascular necrosis as a part of long COVID-19’, was published on Saturday in the prestigious medical journal ‘BMJ Case Studies’. He said the large-scale use of life-saving corticosteroids in coronavirus cases will result in a resurgence of AVN cases.
Dr Agarwala, who is known as an avascular necrosis specialist having pioneered a medical treatment (called the bisphosphonate regime) for it 20 years back that was used across the world, has started seeing the trickle.
His study underlines two worrying trends: post-Covid patients had lower threshold dose of steroid and earlier onset of presentation. They were given a mean dose of 758mg of corticosteroid prednisolone that is less than the 2,000mg dosage known to trigger AVN. Secondly, it usually takes six months to a year to develop AVN after post-steroid use.
Also Read: Delta Variant of COVID-19 putting patients at increased risk of Black Fungus
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