Although the coronavirus infection is caused by lung tissue damage, its complications affect the whole body. Patients treated with COVID-19 initially lost their sense of taste and smell, but now many of them suffer from coxarthrosis (femoral head erosion).
Photo: dmclinic.uz
What is the relationship between lung tissue and hip bone tissue? Why does a disease in another organ show a complication in another organ? Kun.uz received answers to these questions from traumatologist-orthopedic doctor Nu’monjon Sidikov.
Coxarthrosis is on the rise after COVID. Such diseases have increased 3-4 times compared to the previous years.
“There are three types of femoral head erosive disease. Dysplastic coxarthrosis, traumatic coxarthrosis and idiopathic coxarthrosis. The dysplastic type is mainly caused by congenital abnormalities, while the traumatic type develops as a result of injury. Before the spread of the coronavirus infection, dysplastic coxarthrosis was common and was mainly observed in women.
Idiopathic coxarthrosis occurs against the background of various diseases. After COVID, the idiopathic type increased sharply, and its main patients are men,” says Nu’mon Sidikov.
“As a result of insufficient blood supply to the head of the femur due to impaired blood circulation, the tissue in the femur begins to undergo necrosis. The main source is necrosis and erosion due to poor blood supply.
Osteoarthritis of the hip is more common in men after COVID. This disease does not choose age. But after covid, it is more common among men aged 20-60.
It also occurs in women. But after Kovid, the majority of such patients are men.”
As for how COVID-19 affected the locomotor system, Dr. Sidikov pointed to the following as the main reasons:
“True, as a result of the coronavirus, more lung tissue is damaged. But cases of blood transfusions have increased due to COVID. Blood transfusion causes a violation of blood circulation in the body. As a result, the mechanism of blood reaching the head of the femur fails.
Vascular changes in COVID-19 include endotheliitis, vessel narrowing and rupture, thrombotic microangiopathy, capillary dysfunction, and tissue oxygen deprivation.
The combination of hyperinflammation and hypercoagulation together leads to widespread vascular dysfunction. Long vascular inflammation increases the stiffness of the vessel wall and accelerates the aging process in the vessels.
As a result of coagulation and lack of blood passing through the blood vessels feeding the tibia, the nutrition of the tibia is disturbed.
In addition, despite the lack of data on the clinical benefits and side effects of corticosteroid (hormone) use early in the course of COVID-19, corticosteroid therapy is widely used in mild to moderate disease.
Steroid-induced erosion of the femoral head accounts for more than 47.4% of atraumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head. Occurrence of osteonecrosis developed due to steroids depends on the cumulative nature of corticosteroids, the maximum dose and the state of the disease, but it can be seen that it can occur even in small doses in the presence of concomitant diseases, for example, diabetes.
These drugs prevent vitamin D and calcium from reaching the bones. As a result, it becomes brittle and causes erosion.
Pain is one of the main symptoms, and it is first observed when walking, lifting a heavy load, and after pressure drops. As the disease worsens, the patient feels pain even at rest. Even in a free state, it does not roll.
To prevent this disease, patients who have experienced COVID should drink more fluids and take blood thinners. It is advisable to eat more foods rich in calcium.
Also, taking calcium and vitamin D preparations, walking in the sun, should not put pressure on the musculoskeletal system.
If you feel pain in the joints of the legs or in the groin area, it helps to prevent the disease, detect it in time, and take treatment measures.
Treatment of coxarthrosis is carried out using methods such as electrophoresis, local barotherapy, metabolic therapy, depending on its stage. An operation will be performed in the last stages.”
Charos Mannonova spoke.
