Advances in Research on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Long COVID-19

Since the outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), hundreds of millions of cases have been reported. Although COVID-19 was initially considered an acute respiratory disease, recent evidence suggests that a complex array of clinical manifestations and potential long-term sequelae—such as persistent fatigue, diarrhea, dyspnea, limited exercise tolerance, endocrine abnormalities, taste and smell dysfunction, and depression—may affect all COVID-19 patients, regardless of disease severity. These manifestations, collectively referred to as Long COVID, encompass over 200 symptoms affecting multiple systems. The pathogenesis of Long COVID remains unclear, and diagnosis typically relies on symptoms not attributable to any other disease, alongside blood tests and imaging. However, current diagnostic and treatment approaches are inadequate. Some related drugs have entered clinical trials, and symptom-based interventions are in place, but there is a lack of effective integration of research findings on Long COVID diagnosis and interventions. This article summarizes the current diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for Long COVID, proposing effective remedies and corresponding recommendations.