New Study May Help Explain Low Oxygen Levels in Covid-19 Patients
Published:10 Jun.2021    Source:University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry

A new study published in the journal Stem Cell Reports by University of Alberta researchers is shedding light on why many COVID-19 patients, even those not in hospital, are suffering from hypoxia -- a potentially dangerous condition in which there is decreased oxygenation in the body's tissues. The study also shows why the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone has been an effective treatment for those with the virus.

 
"Low blood-oxygen levels have been a significant problem in COVID-19 patients," said study lead Shokrollah Elahi, associate professor in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry. "Because of that, we thought one potential mechanism might be that COVID-19 impacts red blood cell production."