Chronic complications after COVID-19

Abstract

COVID-19 can develop persistent sequelae that can last from weeks to months after initial recovery. Post-COVID syndrome was defined as symptoms persisting for more than 12 weeks after recovery from the acute condition. This integrative review aims to identify the long-term effects of COVID-19, assisting in the recognition and management of its complications, as well as relating these to its main impacts on Public Health. Works with original data on digital platforms were searched and 2721 articles were identified, of which 37 met the inclusion criteria. Among the various symptoms mentioned in the analyzed studies, the five most prevalent were fatigue (34), dyspnea (34), headache (31), myalgia (28) and cough(27). Memory loss, cognitive deficit, concentration deficit and brain fog were persistent symptoms used separately in some articles, difficult to distinguish by the patients themselves, being encompassed in a set of neurological alterations. Female gender and the severity of the acute illness have been identified as risk factors for the development of post-COVID syndrome, however, patients who were not hospitalized may also have persistent symptoms. Multidisciplinary teams are crucial to develop preventive measures, rehabilitation techniques, and clinical management strategies with a whole-patient perspective designed to address the long-term care of COVID-19. Therefore, Primary Health Care is a fundamental strategy for both the containment of the pandemic and for the non-aggravation of people with COVID-19. In addition, immunization actions make up the set of prevention activities developed by primary care teams, which are of paramount importance.