Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40597822›Full record

ArticleBMC psychiatry2025

Long COVID in people with mental health disorders: a scoping review.

Catharina Münte, Manuela Glattacker, Saskia Müller, Andrea E Zülke, Martin Heinze, Steffi G Riedel-Heller, Dawid Pieper, Christian Jacke, Stefanie Deckert, Anne Neumann

Abstract readScoping Review
In one paragraph

Article in BMC psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. VSL#3British journal of biomedical science · 2026
    Trial
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
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

10 authors.

Catharina MünteInstitute for General Practice and Palliative Care, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. Muente.catharina@mh-hannover.de.
Manuela GlattackerSection of Health Care Research and Rehabilitation Research, Institute of Medical Biometry and Statistics, Faculty of Medicine and Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Saskia MüllerBavarian Health and Food Safety Authority (LGL), State Institute of Health I:, Prevention/ Care/ Epidemiology/ E-Health, Department GP3: Bavarian Health Agency, Health Care, Nürnberg, Germany.
Andrea E ZülkeInstitute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
Martin HeinzeCenter for Health Services Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, Brandenburg Medical School (Theodor Fontane), Rüdersdorf, Germany.
Steffi G Riedel-HellerInstitute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
Dawid PieperFaculty of Health Sciences Brandenburg, Brandenburg Medical School (Theodor Fontane), Institute for Health Services and Health System Research, Rüdersdorf, Germany.
Christian JackeScientific Institute of Private Health Insurance (WIP), Cologne, Germany.
Stefanie DeckertCenter for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany.
Anne NeumannCenter for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLong COVID, Post COVID Syndrome or PASC (post-acute sequelae of COVID-19), according to the World Health Organization (WHO), is defined as the continuation or development of new symptoms 3 months after the initial SARS-CoV-2 infection, with these symptoms lasting for at least 2 months with no other explanation. The term Long COVID will be used throughout this review. Little is known about individuals with pre-existing mental health conditions experiencing Long COVID. This scoping review aims to provide an overview of these individuals, focusing on: 1) the course of mental disorders, 2) care needs, 3) utilization of healthcare services, and 4) psychosocial aspects, as outlined by the International Classification of Functioning (ICF).

methodsThis review followed the JBI (Joanna Briggs Institute) methodology for scoping reviews and the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews. We included reports focusing on individuals with at least one pre-existing mental health diagnosis and Long COVID. Full-text reports in English or German were included, with no geographical limitations. Literature searches were conducted in PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO on November 1, 2023, for records published between January 2020 and October 2023. Six reviewers participated in the screening process in pairs, independently conducting study selection and data extraction. Conflicts were resolved by consensus. Citation tracking was performed, and data were summarized narratively in tables.

resultsFrom 4256 initial hits and citation tracking, 8 reports were included. The studies were heterogeneous, including chart reviews, case reports, cross-sectional, and longitudinal studies. Evidence on the impact of Long COVID on pre-existing mental health conditions was inconsistent. Most findings focused on the course of mental health disorders, ranging from symptom worsening to new symptoms of anxiety, depression, or insomnia. Evidence on mental health care needs, service utilization, and psychosocial aspects was limited.

conclusionLimited evidence suggests that individuals with pre-existing mental health disorders who experience Long COVID may be at an increased risk of worsening mental health. However, critical aspects such as care needs, service utilization, and psychosocial factors remain under-researched, highlighting the need for further studies on mental health care for Long COVID. REVIEW REGISTRATION: Open Science Framework https://osf.io/tqexa . CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.

Indexed as

COVID-19Mental DisordersPost-Acute COVID-19 SyndromeHumansSARS-CoV-2COVID-19Long COVIDMental HealthPost-Acute COVID-19 SyndromePsychiatry

Identifiers

PMID40597822
PMCPMC12219037

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.