SynthesisPloS one2023
Incidence of long-term post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection related to pain and other symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in PloS one, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
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.
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Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 27 citations in OpenAlex.
- The risk of Long Covid symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled studies.Nature communications · 2025Pooled it
- Definitions and symptoms of the post-COVID syndrome: an updated systematic umbrella review.European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience · 2025Pooled it
- Pooled it
- ESCMID rapid guidelines for assessment and management of long COVID.Clinical microbiology and infection : the official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases · 2022Guideline
- Donepezil for Fatigue and Psychological Symptoms in Post-COVID-19 Condition: A Randomized Clinical Trial.JAMA network open · 2025Trial
- Management of long COVID-19 in children and adolescents: from diagnosis to therapeutically approaches.Annals of medicine · 2026Review
- Article
- Review
- A cross-sectional study on long covid, cognition and neurasthenia-one year post covid.Journal of family medicine and primary care · 2025Article
- Management of SARS-CoV-2 Infection-Clinical Practice Guidelines of the Polish Association of Epidemiologists and Infectiologists, for 2025.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Review
- The Significance of Endothelial Dysfunction in Long COVID-19 for the Possible Future Pandemic of Chronic Kidney Disease and Cardiovascular Disease.Biomolecules · 2024Review
- Updated Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Long COVID.Infection & chemotherapy · 2024Review
- Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Molnupiravir Versus Best Supportive Care for the Treatment of Outpatient COVID-19 in Adults in the US.PharmacoEconomics · 2022Article
- Long COVID: a narrative review of the clinical aftermaths of COVID-19 with a focus on the putative pathophysiology and aspects of physical activity.Oxford open immunology · 2022Review
- Post-COVID-19 Syndrome and the Potential Benefits of Exercise.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 6 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPersistent symptoms are reported in patients who survive the initial stage of COVID-19, often referred to as "long COVID" or "post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection" (PASC); however, evidence on their incidence is still lacking, and symptoms relevant to pain are yet to be assessed.
methodsA literature search was performed using the electronic databases PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and CHINAL and preprint servers MedRχiv and BioRχiv through January 15, 2021. The primary outcome was pain-related symptoms such as headache or myalgia. Secondary outcomes were symptoms relevant to pain (depression or muscle weakness) and symptoms frequently reported (anosmia and dyspnea). Incidence rates of symptoms were pooled using inverse variance methods with a DerSimonian-Laird random-effects model. The source of heterogeneity was explored using meta-regression, with follow-up period, age and sex as covariates.
resultsIn total, 38 studies including 19,460 patients were eligible. Eight pain-related symptoms and 26 other symptoms were identified. The highest pooled incidence among pain-related symptoms was chest pain (17%, 95% confidence interval [CI], 11%-24%), followed by headache (16%, 95% CI, 9%-27%), arthralgia (13%, 95% CI, 7%-24%), neuralgia (12%, 95% CI, 3%-38%) and abdominal pain (11%, 95% CI, 7%-16%). The highest pooled incidence among other symptoms was fatigue (44%, 95% CI, 32%-57%), followed by insomnia (27%, 95% CI, 10%-55%), dyspnea (26%, 95% CI, 17%-38%), weakness (25%, 95% CI, 8%-56%) and anosmia (19%, 95% CI, 13%-27%). Substantial heterogeneity was identified (I2, 50-100%). Meta-regression analyses partially accounted for the source of heterogeneity, and yet, 53% of the symptoms remained unexplained.
conclusionsThe current meta-analysis may provide a complete picture of incidence in PASC. It remains unclear, however, whether post-COVID symptoms progress or regress over time or to what extent PASC are associated with age or sex.
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Registered trials
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