Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33977626›Full record

SynthesisInternational journal of clinical practice2021

Frequency, signs and symptoms, and criteria adopted for long COVID-19: A systematic review.

Ana Luiza Cabrera Martimbianco, Rafael Leite Pacheco, Ângela Maria Bagattini, Rachel Riera

Open access · greenAbstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in International journal of clinical practice, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 205 papers, 18 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
205citing papers in PubMed, 18 pooled it
34.9field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

205 citing papers in PubMed, 18 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 363 citations in OpenAlex.

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  7. SARS-CoV-2 post-acute sequelae in previously hospitalised patients: systematic literature review and meta-analysis.European respiratory review : an official journal of the European Respiratory Society · 2023
    Pooled it
  8. A systematic review of trials currently investigating therapeutic modalities for post-acute COVID-19 syndrome and registered on WHO International Clinical Trials Platform.Clinical microbiology and infection : the official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases · 2023
    Pooled it
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  11. Short and Long-Term Wellbeing of Children following SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022
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  14. Long-Term Consequences of COVID-19 at 6 Months and Above: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022
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  17. Post-COVID-19 fatigue: A systematic review.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2022
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  20. Experiences of people with long COVID: Symptoms, support strategies and the Long COVID Optimal Health Programme (LC-OHP).Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2024
    Trial

145 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Ana Luiza Cabrera MartimbiancoNúcleo de Avaliação de Tecnologias em Saúde, Hospital Sírio-Libanês (HSL), São Paulo, Brazil.
Rafael Leite PachecoNúcleo de Avaliação de Tecnologias em Saúde, Hospital Sírio-Libanês (HSL), São Paulo, Brazil.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7487-8471
Ângela Maria BagattiniNúcleo de Avaliação de Tecnologias em Saúde, Hospital Sírio-Libanês (HSL), São Paulo, Brazil.
Rachel RieraNúcleo de Avaliação de Tecnologias em Saúde, Hospital Sírio-Libanês (HSL), São Paulo, Brazil.
Hospital Sírio-Libanês · BRCentro Universitário São Camilo · BRUniversidade Metropolitana de Santos · BR

Funding

Sociedade Beneficente de Senhoras Hospital Sírio-Libanês
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimsTo identify, systematically evaluate and summarise the best available evidence on the frequency of long COVID-19 (post-acute COVID-19 syndrome), its clinical manifestations, and the criteria used for diagnosis.

methodsSystematic review conducted with a comprehensive search including formal databases, COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 data sources, grey literature, and manual search. We considered for inclusion clinical trials, observational longitudinal comparative and non-comparative studies, cross-sectional, before-and-after, and case series. We assessed the methodological quality by specific tools based on the study designs. We presented the results as a narrative synthesis regarding the frequency and duration of long COVID-19, signs and symptoms, criteria used for diagnosis, and potential risk factors.

resultsWe included 25 observational studies with moderate to high methodological quality, considering 5440 participants. The frequency of long COVID-19 ranged from 4.7% to 80%, and the most prevalent signs/symptoms were chest pain (up to 89%), fatigue (up to 65%), dyspnea (up to 61%), and cough and sputum production (up to 59%). Temporal criteria used to define long COVID-19 varied from 3 to 24 weeks after acute phase or hospital discharge. Potentially associated risk factors were old age, female sex, severe clinical status, a high number of comorbidities, hospital admission, and oxygen supplementation at the acute phase. However, limitations related to study designs added uncertainty to this finding. None of the studies assessed the duration of signs/symptoms.

conclusionThe frequency of long COVID-19 reached up to 80% over the studies included and occurred between 3 and 24 weeks after acute phase or hospital discharge. Chest pain, fatigue, dyspnea, and cough were the most reported clinical manifestations attributed to the condition. Based on these systematic review findings, there is an urgent need to understand this emerging, complex and challenging medical condition. Proposals for diagnostic criteria and standard terminology are welcome.

Indexed as

COVID-19Cross-Sectional StudiesDyspneaFemaleHumansPost-Acute COVID-19 SyndromeSARS-CoV-2

Identifiers

PMID33977626
PMCPMC8236920
OpenAlexW3162692087

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.