SynthesisInternational journal of environmental research and public health2024
Pathophysiological Mechanisms in Long COVID: A Mixed Method Systematic Review.
Synthesis in International journal of environmental research and public health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers.
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, 22 citations in OpenAlex.
- Efficacy of a psychotherapeutic group intervention for patients with Post-COVID-19 condition: a randomized controlled trial (PsyLoCo study).BMC psychology · 2026Trial
- Profiles of Individuals With Long COVID Reporting Persistent Cognitive Complaints.Archives of clinical neuropsychology : the official journal of the National Academy of Neuropsychologists · 2025Trial
- Digital Interventions Addressing Cognitive and Psychological Symptoms in Long COVID: Scoping Review of Multicomponent Approaches.Interactive journal of medical research · 2026Review
- 'What Do People With Long Covid Want From Healthcare Services?' A Qualitative Exploration From Lived Experience.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2026Article
- Exploring the Intensity and Continuity of Hospital Care for Patients With Long Covid: Evidence From an English Urban Healthcare System.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2026Observational
- Understanding the Clinical Characteristics and Timeliness of Diagnosis for Patients Diagnosed With Long Covid: A Retrospective Observational Cohort Study From North West London.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2025Observational
- Living With Persistent Respiratory Symptoms of Long COVID: Qualitative Study Among Brazilian Adults 12 Months After Acute Infection.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2025Article
- COVID-19 infection history as a risk factor for early pregnancy loss: results from the electronic health record-based Southeast Texas COVID and Pregnancy Cohort Study.BMC medicine · 2025Article
- Article
- Daily stress and worry are additional triggers of symptom fluctuations in individuals living with Long COVID: results from an intensive longitudinal cohort study.Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine · 2025Article
- Article
- Relationship between post-COVID-19 symptoms and daily physical activity.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciences · 2025Article
- Lights and Shadows of Long COVID: Are Latent Infections the Real Hidden Enemy?Journal of clinical medicine · 2024Review
- Physical, cognitive, and social triggers of symptom fluctuations in people living with long COVID: an intensive longitudinal cohort study.The Lancet regional health. Europe · 2024Article
- Long COVID and gut candidiasis: What is the existing relationship?World journal of gastroenterology · 2024Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors at 7 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionLong COVID (LC) is a global public health crisis affecting more than 70 million people. There is emerging evidence of different pathophysiological mechanisms driving the wide array of symptoms in LC. Understanding the relationships between mechanisms and symptoms helps in guiding clinical management and identifying potential treatment targets.
methodsThis was a mixed-methods systematic review with two stages: Stage one (Review 1) included only existing systematic reviews (meta-review) and Stage two (Review 2) was a review of all primary studies. The search strategy involved Medline, Embase, Emcare, and CINAHL databases to identify studies that described symptoms and pathophysiological mechanisms with statistical analysis and/or discussion of plausible causal relationships between mechanisms and symptoms. Only studies that included a control arm for comparison were included. Studies were assessed for quality using the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute quality assessment tools.
results19 systematic reviews were included in Review 1 and 46 primary studies in Review 2. Overall, the quality of reporting across the studies included in this second review was moderate to poor. The pathophysiological mechanisms with strong evidence were immune system dysregulation, cerebral hypoperfusion, and impaired gas transfer in the lungs. Other mechanisms with moderate to weak evidence were endothelial damage and hypercoagulation, mast cell activation, and auto-immunity to vascular receptors.
conclusionsLC is a complex condition affecting multiple organs with diverse clinical presentations (or traits) underpinned by multiple pathophysiological mechanisms. A 'treatable trait' approach may help identify certain groups and target specific interventions. Future research must include understanding the response to intervention based on these mechanism-based traits.
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Registered trials
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.