Characterising Long COVID: a living systematic review (27 September 2021)

Summary

While it is now apparent that Long Covid may persist after acute COVID-19, its nature, frequency and aetiology are poorly characterised. This study from MicHelen et al. aimed to regularly synthesise evidence on long COVID characteristics, to help inform clinical management, rehabilitation strategies and interventional studies to improve long-term outcomes.

The authors conclude that Long Covid is a complex condition with prolonged heterogeneous symptoms. The nature of studies precludes a precise case definition or risk evaluation. There is an urgent need for prospective, robust, standardised, controlled studies into aetiology, risk factors and biomarkers to characterise long COVID in different at-risk populations and settings.