Long COVID syndrome: An unfolding enigma

Abstract

Post-acute sequelae of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) disease (COVID-19), called as long COVID syndrome, is a major global public health issue after recovery from COVID-19. The disease occurs in symptomatic patients irrespective of illness severity. The symptoms continue after four wk of recovery from acute illness and persist beyond three months. Risk factors for long COVID include older age, female gender, multiple co-morbidities including diabetes mellitus, prior chronic respiratory illnesses, hospitalized patients with severe disease, especially receiving assisted ventilation, high viral load, reactivation of Epstein Barr (EB) virus and human herpes virus 6 (HH6), circulating auto antibodies against various organs and type I interferon. The prevalence varies from 10 to 20 per cent, and most data have been reported from high-income countries. Any system can get involved in long COVID. The symptoms include fatigue, cognition impairment, cough and dyspnoea, anosmia, hair loss and diarrhoea, among others. While there are no laboratory tests for confirmation of diagnosis, reduced complement C7 complexes at six months, and a two-gene biomarker including FYN and SARS-CoV-2 antisense ribonucleic acid (RNA) are emerging as potentially useful biomarkers for long COVID. There should be no alternative disease to explain various symptoms. Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 and early use of oral antiviral nirmatrelvir within the first five days in patients with acute mild disease having various risk factors for progression to severe disease help in preventing long COVID. Several clinical trials are underway for the treatment of long COVID and the results of these are eagerly awaited. Physical and mental rehabilitation at home, at community level or in the hospital setting as appropriate is essential in patients with long COVID.