Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41816409›Full record

ReviewJournal of thoracic disease2026

A narrative review of SARS-CoV-2 variants and long COVID.

Xinhua Chai, Haoxiang Qi, Xinze Liu, Feng Zhou, Yuli Jiang, Mengdi Wu, Silu Lian, Lumeng Wang, Yongxia Bao

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of thoracic disease, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

9 authors.

Xinhua ChaiDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
Haoxiang QiDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
Xinze LiuThe First School of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang University Huajiachi Campus, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
Feng ZhouDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
Yuli JiangDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
Mengdi WuDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
Silu LianDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
Lumeng WangThe Second School of Clinical Medicine, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
Yongxia BaoDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background and Objective: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Since the onset of the pandemic, there has been a continuous rise in cases of both COVID-19 and long COVID. It is acknowledged that long COVID is a multisystem disorder with a wide range of symptoms; its primary symptoms and indicators include fatigue, dyspnea, anosmia, myalgia, cough, and hyposmia. SARS-CoV-2 has continuously evolved since the wild strain first appeared, resulting in numerous genetic variants. These strains exhibit significant differences in terms of pathogenicity and immune evasion. Key scientific questions remain regarding whether and how these variations influence the development and clinical course of long COVID. This review aims to examine associations between SARS-CoV-2 strains and long COVID, synthesize current evidence, identify research gaps, and provide recommendations for subsequent rehabilitation treatments. Methods: Literature searches were conducted using PubMed, focusing on publications from January 2020 to August 2025. Relevant literature on long COVID and SARS-CoV-2 variants was systematically reviewed and summarized, and included in this review. Key Content and Findings: This review highlights the ongoing genetic evolution of SARS-CoV-2 as a key temporal dynamic during the pandemic. Different SARS-CoV-2 variants result in varying severity of long COVID. Anti-inflammatory treatments demonstrate significant efficacy for long COVID patients. COVID-19 vaccination prior to SARS-CoV-2 infection reduces the risk of long COVID, and another successful treatment option for persistent COVID symptoms is physical therapy. Conclusions: Long COVID remains a significant public health challenge. The relationship between SARS-CoV-2 variants and long COVID requires further elucidation. This condition may cause significant economic and medical burdens in the future. To completely protect the physical and mental health of long COVID patients, it is essential to broaden therapeutic options and create individualized therapy programs. Therefore, understanding the connection between long COVID and SARS-CoV-2 variants is crucial. Based on this knowledge, effective strategies must be designed to empower individuals in proactively addressing and managing long COVID.

Indexed as

Long coronavirus disease (long COVID)severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)treatmentvariant

Identifiers

PMID41816409
PMCPMC12972885

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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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.