COVID-19, Long COVID, and Psychosomatic Manifestations: A Possible Burden on Existing Rheumatology Facilities

Abstract

COVID-19 mainly affects the respiratory system; however, other body parts can also be involved. After resolving the acute stage, long-standing COVID effects can continue to trouble COVID survivors; a term used to describe them is 'long COVID' or post-COVID syndrome. Long COVID phenotypes are physical and functional: physical symptoms include persistent dyspnea, chest pain, myalgia, impaired mobility, and arthralgia, whereas fatigue, depression, cognitive impairment, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, insomnia, and somatization are considered the functional aspects. Growing evidence suggests inflammatory rheumatic conditions may develop in COVID-19. COVID-19 further impact patients significantly with inflammatory arthritis (IA), their physical, psychological and social relationships, and their quality of life. Psychiatric COVID long-haulers could overload the existing rheumatology facilities globally, especially in the simultaneous presence of IA and COVID-19. This perspective addresses how psychosomatic manifestations of COVID-19 and 'long COVID' burden the present rheumatology facility. We further address treatment options of 'long COVID' and future research direction regarding its pathophysiology and 'long COVID' psychosomatic illness, especially in the setting of chronic rheumatic diseases.