Definition and measurement of post-COVID-19 conditions in real-world practice: a global systematic literature review

Yang, Jingyan; Markus, Kristen; Andersen, Kathleen Michelle; Rudolph, Abby E; McGrath, Leah J; Nguyen, Jennifer L; Kyaw, Moe H; Whittle, Isabelle; Blazos, Vasileios; Heron, Louise; Spinardi, Julia Regazzini

doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2023-077886

Cited by 7 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 66 publications

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“…At present, the diagnosis of PCS lacks clear operationalisation, covering a wide range of clinical pictures 36–38 . In order to standardise the diagnostic process, it seems necessary to define clear diagnostic criteria and severity categories.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Qualitative Interview Study of General Practitioners’ Experiences of Managing Post-COVID-19 Syndrome

Schulze,

Lind,

Rojas

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Background: The management of the long-term sequelae of COVID-19 infection, known as post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCS), continues to challenge the medical community, largely due to a significant gap in the understanding of its aetiology, diagnosis and effective treatment. Aim: To examine general practitioners′ (GPs) experiences of caring for patients with PCS and to identify unmet care needs and opportunities for improvement. Design and setting: This study follows a qualitative design, using in-depth semi-structured telephone interviews with GPs (N=31) from across Germany. Method: Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Patients with persistent symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection often consult their GPs as the first point of contact, with symptoms typically resolving within weeks. While ongoing symptomatic COVID-19 is perceived to be more common, the relevance of PCS to GP practices is considerable given its severe impact on patients′ functioning, social participation, and the substantial time required for patient care. GPs coordinate diagnosis and treatment, but face difficulties because of the unclear definition of PCS and difficulties in attributing symptoms, resulting in a cautious approach to ICD-10 coding. Interviewees highlight lengthy diagnostic pathways and barriers to accessing specialist care. Conclusion: The findings confirm the high functional limitations and psychosocial burden of PCS on patients and the central role of GPs in their care. The study suggests a need for further research and health policy measures to support GPs in navigating diagnostic uncertainty, interprofessional communication and the limited evidence on effective treatments Keywords: Primary Health Care, Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome, COVID-19, Pandemics, Qualitative Research How this fits in: Post-COVID-19 syndrome has garnered attention in research and healthcare, but limited evidence on its causes and effective treatment challenges clinicians. This study illustrates the symptom-driven approaches to diagnosis and treatment adopted by general practitioners and their concerns about referring patients to specialist clinics. Greater collaboration and communication across sectors and disciplines is needed to meet the identified need for interprofessional care. Research should also focus on developing comprehensive differential diagnostic protocols, and health policy should address barriers to accessing specific outpatient services.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%