Written By: Satata Karmakar | Published : June 4, 2021 11:10 AM IST
How And Why Oxygen Level Decline In COVID-19 Patients - Explained
The second wave of coronavirus ravaged India earlier this year. The ferocious face of the COVID-19 infection attack led to the deaths of thousands across the country. With the onset of this new wave, some symptoms related to the infection also changed. Among the few new symptoms of the COVID-19 infection were shortness of breath or acute oxygen deprivation. The SARS-CoV-2 - virus that causes coronavirus, after entering the body infects the immature red blood cells (RBC) which eventually results in the reduction or declination of the oxygen level in the blood, causing serious effects on the immune system's response. Let's understand the whole process in detail to make sure that the patients are being taken care of properly when they are infected with the coronavirus.
A new study, published in the journal Stem Cell Reports, has explained why many Covid-19 patients, even those not in the hospital, are suffering from hypoxia -- a potentially dangerous condition in which there is decreased oxygenation in the body's tissues. The study has also shed light on why the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone has been an effective treatment for those with the virus. Speaking to the media, study leads Shokrollah Elahi, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at University of Alberta, Canada, said, "Low blood-oxygen levels have been a significant problem in Covid-19 patients." Elahi further added, "Because of that, we thought one potential mechanism might be that Covid-19 impacts red blood cell production."
According to the researchers of the study, as the disease became more severe, more immature RBCs flooded into blood circulation, sometimes making up as much as 60 per cent of the total cells in the blood. By comparison, immature RBCs make up less than one per cent, or none at all, in a healthy individual's blood. Further, the team also found the dexamethasone drug suppresses the response of the ACE2 and TMPRSS2 receptors to SARS-CoV-2 in immature RBCs, reducing the opportunities for infection. The drug also increases the rate at which the immature RBCs mature, helping the cells shed their nuclei faster. Without the nuclei, the virus has nowhere to replicate, the researchers said.
Oxygen saturation generally refers to the actual percentage of oxygenated haemoglobin which is present in the blood of a person which gets transported from the lungs to various other organs of the body. This is one of the most vital functioning of the human body. Now, coming to the question of what is the normal oxygen level of a human body. A person is considered healthy when the oxygen level is above 94. The saturation level can range anywhere between 94-100. But, when the oxygen level is below 94, it can lead to hypoxemia, which can invite several health complications.
As discussed above, oxygen is important for the body to function. Any decline in its level can turn fatal. Here are some of the warning signs that can tell you that your oxygen level is going down and that you need medical support.
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