Long-term post-COVID syndrome: incidence, predictors and prospects

Aim. To summarize the data of modern research on the long-term consequences of COVID-19. Key points. Post-viral syndrome is a well-known condition characterized by varying levels of physical, cognitive, and emotional impairments that can persist with varying degrees of severity after recovery from an acute viral infection. COVID-19 can also have medium- and long-term clinical consequences after recovery from SARS-CoV-2 infection. Long-term COVID can be described as a condition that occurs in patients with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection, develops within 3 months after the onset of symptoms, persists for at least 2 months and is not explained by alternative diagnoses. Prolonged COVID-19 primarily includes the presence of at least 1 symptom, such as fatigue, shortness of breath, cognitive impairment, malaise after exercise, memory problems, pain / cramps in the musculoskeletal system, cough, sleep disorders, tachycardia / palpitations, altered perception of smell / taste, headache, chest pain and depression. Demographic and clinical risk factors today include female gender, old age, cigarette smoking, pre-existing diseases, lack of vaccination against COVID-19, infection with SARS-CoV-2 variants preceding omicron, viral load, severe / critical course of COVID-19 disease, as well as artificial ventilation. Conclusion. Long-term COVID differs from other post-viral syndromes by its higher prevalence. It includes the presence of at least 1 symptom, such as fatigue and/or weakness, shortness of breath, decreased exercise tolerance, impaired taste and/or sense of smell, anxiety, depression, and headache. Postcovid syndrome deserves a separate and more focused discussion and needs a comprehensive interdisciplinary approach specifically tailored to the type and severity of symptoms. Keywords: COVID-19, postcovid syndrome, SARS-CoV-2, symptoms, coronary heart disease, clinical picture.