Long COVID-19 Syndrome: A Comprehensive Review of Its Effect on Various Organ Systems and Recommendation on Rehabilitation Plans

Abstract

The majority of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 fully recovered within a few weeks. However, a considerable number of patients of different ages still suffer from long-lasting problems similar to the multi-organ damage in its acute phase of infection, or experience symptoms continuously for a longer term after the recovery. The severity of the primary infection seems not to be associated with the possibility and severity of long-term symptoms. Various unresolved symptoms have been reported in COVID-19 survivors months after hospital discharge. Long COVID-19 Syndrome refers to survivors 4 months after initial symptoms onset. It is important to understand the systemic effects of Long COVID-19 Syndrome, its presentations, and the need for rehabilitations to restore functional recovery in survivors. Government, healthcare workers, and survivor groups should collaborate to establish a self-sustaining system to facilitate follow-up and rehabilitations, with prioritization of resources to more severely Long COVID-19 Syndrome survivors. This review looks into the systemic effects of Long COVID-19 Syndrome in various aspects: respiratory, cardiovascular, hematological, renal, gastrointestinal, neurological, and metabolic effects of Long COVID-19 Syndromes. Recommendations for follow-up and rehabilitations details have been explored to cope with the tremendous Long COVID-19 Syndrome patients.

Assessment of Post COVID-19 Health Problems and its Determinants in North India: A descriptive cross section study

“…Such a multi-organ involvement in PCS has been described in the literature. 5,32 Similar findings were reported in a mobile phone app-based study in the United Kingdom. 33 This implies managing such wide varied symptoms needs a holistic multi-disciplinary approach involving multi-specialties, including hospital and community-based rehabilitation program to support the healthcare and psychological needs for an extended time rather than organ specific management.…”

Persistent Post-COVID-19 Syndrome in Hemodialyzed Patients—A Longitudinal Cohort Study from the North of Poland

“…Such self-reported symptoms as weakness, palpitation and chest pain require further evaluation as they may reflect serious health problems. Our results highlight the need for a long-term follow-up of HD patients for diagnostic and rehabilitation programs [ 30 , 31 ].…”

COVID-19 Vaccinations: A Comprehensive Review of Their Safety and Efficacy in Special Populations

“…These include long COVID-19 syndrome in COVID-19 survivors, multisystem inflammatory syndrome in the elderly, and myocarditis in pediatric populations [10,11]. This will create extra problems for the future healthcare system in terms of medical followup, rehabilitation, and financial burden [4].…”

“…There is no definitive cure to date. The consequences of being infected with COVID-19 can be multi-faceted, such as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, acute multi-organ failure in adults, and long COVID-19 syndrome in all recoverees [2][3][4][5]. Global vaccination programs and multiple preventive measures are the most effective ways to curb rapid transmission.…”