Long COVID needs a standardised definition to improve diagnosis, treatment and research, experts say.
A recent review suggests that only about a third of 295 long COVID studies used official definitions. So, Dr Daniel Pan and Professor Manish Pareek of the University of Leicester, UK, say that a universal definition must be created.
In JAMA Network Open, they wrote: “The lack of a consistent definition between organisations and studies makes assimilating and comparing findings from current studies difficult.
“There is also multiplicity of titles for what appears to be the same clinical problem. By using different definitions and titles, different studies will have focused on different people, symptoms, and time intervals and hence, any estimated prevalence or incidence will vary widely.”
They state: “There must be one agreed universal definition of this condition; with one title that can be adopted by all studies in the future.”
The authors suggest this definition: ”Signs and symptoms following initial SARS-CoV-2 infection, that persist for more than one month (in mild cases), and more than three months (in cases severe enough to warrant oxygen support), which have a disproportionately severe effect on a patient’s quality of life, far beyond what is expected from their initial infection.”
While long COVID is most likely a manifestation of multiple diseases mediated by different mechanisms, having a clear definition will at least allow treatment to be developed more effectively, they believe.
“Only then can we have a more personalised and effective approach to the treatment of those affected,” the authors conclude.
Pan, D. and Pareek, M. Toward a Universal Definition of Post-COVID-19 Condition – How Do We Proceed? JAMA Network Open 5 April 2023; doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.5779
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