Long COVID and Post-COVID-19 Syndromes
A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2023) | Viewed by 83882
Special Issue Editors
Interests: gender disparity; Long COVID; global health
2. Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli", 00168 Roma, Italy
Interests: pediatrics; Long COVID; global health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
2. Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli", 00168 Roma, Italy
Interests: occupational and urban health; Long COVID; global health
2. National Institute for Health, Migration and Poverty, 00153 Rome, Italy
Interests: global health; Long COVID; health inequalities; mental health
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
With more than 186 million cases and 4 million deaths worldwide, the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted global healthcare as well as social and economic scenarios. Even if vaccination campaigns are progressing fast, some concerns remain, such as the emerging spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants and the threats they could pose on vaccine effectiveness.
Despite the prolific COVID-19 scientific production of the last year, many aspects of SARS-CoV-2 infection still remain to be explored. In this regard, the persistence of symptoms in COVID-19 symptomatic cases or even the onset of symptoms in asymptomatic COVID-19 cases and the long-term complications beyond 4 weeks or even 8–12 weeks after the coronavirus infection is attracting increasing interest in the scientific community as well as among patients, organizations, and societies.
The chances of having long-term symptoms (e.g., fatigue, respiratory symptoms, “brain fog”, neurological and psychiatric symptoms, autonomic dysfunction such as tachycardia and fever, gastrointestinal discomforts, tinnitus, earaches, changes to sense of smell or taste, rash, and post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC)), a condition generally known as Long COVID or, most properly, post-acute COVID-19 and persistent post-COVID-19 syndrome, do not seem to be related to the intensity of COVID-19 manifestation.
It has been reported in both symptomatic and asymptomatic cases, in both mild–moderate and severe clinical presentations, in hospitalized as well as in not hospitalized cases, in both adults and children, in which the PIMS-TS (pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome temporally associated with SARS-CoV-2) has been observed in 8% to 50% of cases.
Long COVID that has clearly shown a multi-organ impact that involves body systems including heart, lung, kidney, skin, and brain functions with a broad spectrum of manifestation is currently estimated in 10% up to 30% of cases.
In this regard, literature on epidemiology as well as pathophysiology, treatment proposals, and care models is still scarce. Moreover, it is unavoidable not to pay attention to the quality of life and the lived experiences of Long COVID patients as well as on health professionals’ training needs and the impact of Long COVID on occupational health and society.
This Special Issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) focuses on the current state of knowledge on the Long COVID/post-COVID-19 syndrome.
Papers on the epidemiology and etiology—with particular regard to risk and protective factors—as well as physiology and pathophysiology, diagnostic tools, clinical manifestation and organ-specific sequelae, multi-interdisciplinary and integrated care models, and therapeutic and rehabilitation proposals both in primary and in secondary and tertiary care are welcomed. Moreover, contributions on the perception, needs, quality of life, and social protection of long-haulers as well as on the occupational, economic, and social implications of the increasing burden of Long COVID will be highly appreciated.
Qualitative as well as quantitative research papers, reviews, case reports and guidelines will be considered for this Special Issue, but other types of contributions will also be taken into consideration for publication.
We look forward to your participation in this Special Issue to increase and share our Long COVID knowledge, committing, all together, to better meeting our patients’ needs.
Prof. Dr. Walter Malorni
Dr. Danilo Buonsenso
Dr. Leuconoe Grazia Sisti
Prof. Dr. Umberto Moscato
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- Long COVID/post-COVID-19 syndrome
- epidemiology
- pathophysiology
- clinical practice
- therapy
- integrated care models
- patients’ perception
- pediatrics
- mental health
- occupational, social and economic impact
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