Post-/Long-COVID-Syndrom und Post-Vac-Syndrom

The coronavirus pandemic has presented the healthcare system with unprecedented challenges, initially during the acute phase. Long-COVID syndrome (LCS) encompasses all long-term effects of the COVID-19 infectious disease that extend beyond the acute illness and persist up to 12 weeks after the onset of the illness or that occur anew and cannot be explained by other causes. Post-COVID syndrome (PCS) encompasses all late effects that persist for more than 12 weeks.

Long-COVID syndrome and post-COVID syndrome manifest themselves in a variety of different cardiac, pulmonary, neurological, psychiatric, and gastrointestinal dysfunctions. Common to all symptom complexes is a reduction in quality of life as well as economic aspects such as long periods of work incapacity. The autonomic nervous system appears to play a role in these various dysfunctions. Small studies have attempted to therapeutically target the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system. The results of small study groups have been promising. In theoretical considerations, an electrical stellate block according to Jenkner could also represent a possible therapeutic option.