Is there a post-COVID syndrome?

Abstract

For critically ill COVID-19 patients surviving the acute phase of the disease could possibly only mean having overcome the first stage of a long and challenging path. Physical, cognitive and psychological consequences seem to be realistic; however, do residual symptoms in patients who have returned to microbiological normalization constitute a post-COVID syndrome and which symptoms are principally possible in this context and are able to cause such a syndrome? It is no novelty that critically ill patients often still sustain functional limitations over a long period after discharge from hospital, in many cases even over many years. In most cases of COVID-19 it is too early for the diagnosis of a post-COVID syndrome. For this the symptoms would have to have lasted over a period of at least 6 months; therefore, only a post-infection fatigue can currently be spoken of. On top of this, even if patients recover physically they could be at particular risk of suffering from long-term mental health problems or perceive a reduced quality of life. Such findings exist not only after ARDS as many intensive care unit patients sustain long-term disorders, which is also known as post-intensive care syndrome (PICS). To sum up, there is sufficient evidence for the possible existence of a post-COVID syndrome or for the justification to correspondingly designate these possible sequelae with persisting symptoms in this way. In any case, all efforts that enable a complete functional recovery and a return to a life after corona are justified.