Long COVID clinical evaluation, research and impact on society : a global expert consensus
(2025) In Annals of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobials 24(1).- Abstract
Background: Long COVID is a complex, heterogeneous syndrome affecting over four hundred million people globally. There are few recommendations, and no formal training exists for medical professionals to assist with clinical evaluation and management of patients with Long COVID. More research into the pathology, cellular, and molecular mechanisms of Long COVID, and treatments is needed. The goal of this work is to disseminate essential information about Long COVID and recommendations about definition, diagnosis, treatment, research and social issues to physicians, researchers, and policy makers to address this escalating global health crisis. Methods: A 3-round modified Delphi consensus methodology was distributed internationally to 179... (More)
Background: Long COVID is a complex, heterogeneous syndrome affecting over four hundred million people globally. There are few recommendations, and no formal training exists for medical professionals to assist with clinical evaluation and management of patients with Long COVID. More research into the pathology, cellular, and molecular mechanisms of Long COVID, and treatments is needed. The goal of this work is to disseminate essential information about Long COVID and recommendations about definition, diagnosis, treatment, research and social issues to physicians, researchers, and policy makers to address this escalating global health crisis. Methods: A 3-round modified Delphi consensus methodology was distributed internationally to 179 healthcare professionals, researchers, and persons with lived experience of Long COVID in 28 countries. Statements were combined into specific areas: definition, diagnosis, treatment, research, and society. Results: The survey resulted in 187 comprehensive statements reaching consensus with the strongest areas being diagnosis and clinical assessment, and general research. We establish conditions for diagnosis of different subgroups within the Long COVID umbrella. Clear consensus was reached that the impacts of COVID-19 infection on children should be a research priority, and additionally on the need to determine the effects of Long COVID on societies and economies. The consensus on COVID and Long COVID is that it affects the nervous system and other organs and is not likely to be observed with initial symptoms. We note, biomarkers are critically needed to address these issues. Conclusions: This work forms initial guidance to address the spectrum of Long COVID as a disease and reinforces the need for translational research and large-scale treatment trials for treatment protocols.
(Less)
- author
- contributor
- Carroll, Harriet
LU
and Fedorowski, Artur
LU
- author collaboration
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025-12
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Definition, Diagnosis, Long COVID, Research, Societies, Treatment
- in
- Annals of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobials
- volume
- 24
- issue
- 1
- article number
- 27
- publisher
- BioMed Central (BMC)
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105003794799
- pmid:40254579
- DOI
- 10.1186/s12941-025-00793-9
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2025.
- id
- 90171ae0-0efc-4594-bb13-f1dccc44006d
- date added to LUP
- 2025-08-11 16:11:01
- date last changed
- 2025-08-14 15:44:52
@article{90171ae0-0efc-4594-bb13-f1dccc44006d,
abstract = {{<p>Background: Long COVID is a complex, heterogeneous syndrome affecting over four hundred million people globally. There are few recommendations, and no formal training exists for medical professionals to assist with clinical evaluation and management of patients with Long COVID. More research into the pathology, cellular, and molecular mechanisms of Long COVID, and treatments is needed. The goal of this work is to disseminate essential information about Long COVID and recommendations about definition, diagnosis, treatment, research and social issues to physicians, researchers, and policy makers to address this escalating global health crisis. Methods: A 3-round modified Delphi consensus methodology was distributed internationally to 179 healthcare professionals, researchers, and persons with lived experience of Long COVID in 28 countries. Statements were combined into specific areas: definition, diagnosis, treatment, research, and society. Results: The survey resulted in 187 comprehensive statements reaching consensus with the strongest areas being diagnosis and clinical assessment, and general research. We establish conditions for diagnosis of different subgroups within the Long COVID umbrella. Clear consensus was reached that the impacts of COVID-19 infection on children should be a research priority, and additionally on the need to determine the effects of Long COVID on societies and economies. The consensus on COVID and Long COVID is that it affects the nervous system and other organs and is not likely to be observed with initial symptoms. We note, biomarkers are critically needed to address these issues. Conclusions: This work forms initial guidance to address the spectrum of Long COVID as a disease and reinforces the need for translational research and large-scale treatment trials for treatment protocols.</p>}},
author = {{Ewing, Andrew G. and Joffe, David and Blitshteyn, Svetlana and Brooks, Anna E.S. and Wist, Julien and Bar-Yam, Yaneer and Bilodeau, Stephane and Curtin, Jennifer and Duncan, Rae and Faghy, Mark and Galland, Leo and Pretorius, Etheresia and Salamon, Spela and Buonsenso, Danilo and Hastie, Claire and Kane, Binita and Khan, M. Asad and Lal, Amos and Lau, Dennis and Macintyre, Raina and McFarland, Sammie and Munblit, Daniel and Nicholson, Jeremy and Ollila, Hanna M. and Putrino, David and Rosario, Alberto and Tan, Timothy}},
keywords = {{Definition; Diagnosis; Long COVID; Research; Societies; Treatment}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{1}},
publisher = {{BioMed Central (BMC)}},
series = {{Annals of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobials}},
title = {{Long COVID clinical evaluation, research and impact on society : a global expert consensus}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12941-025-00793-9}},
doi = {{10.1186/s12941-025-00793-9}},
volume = {{24}},
year = {{2025}},
}