More details of the new “post COVID syndrome” have been announced, defining it as a condition lasting for longer than 12 weeks.
The Royal College of GPs and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence have been working together to develop guidelines and have now released some preliminary guidance.
The syndrome is also known as Long COVID and involves signs and symptoms that are not explained by an alternative diagnosis, following an infection with the virus, they say.
There are likely to be clusters of symptoms and these may change over time and can affect any part of the body, they say. Generalised pain, fatigue, persistent high temperature and psychiatric problems can all form part of it, they say.
The organisations, which include the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, intend to set out which symptoms should provoke referral to specialist services and what drugs and other interventions can be used.
Paul Chrisp, from NICE, said: “Recovery from any infectious illness can take time and although most people with COVID-19 will recover completely within a few weeks from the onset of symptoms, we know that a sizeable minority will continue to have symptoms for 12 weeks or more afterwards, regardless of how ill they were initially or whether they were hospitalised.
“This is a new condition and there is still a lot we don’t know about it. Our aim is that the post-COVID syndrome guideline will begin by setting best practice standards of care based on the current evidence but, as our understanding of the condition grows, be adaptable and responsive to new evidence as it emerges.”
Safia Qureshi, director of evidence for Healthcare Improvement Scotland, said: “We understand that Long COVID is creating great distress and uncertainty for those affected, and that the NHS requires the best available advice to support people effectively, even as we continue to seek to understand it. The scope report is a first and vital stage in the production of a guideline which aims to identify symptoms and outline treatment options.”
RCGP chair Professor Martin Marshall said: “The prolonged health effects that some patients experience after contracting COVID-19 can have a terrible impact on their lives – and as GPs, we want to do what we can to help them.
“Now that we are clear about its scope, we can move forward in developing guidance, based on the latest evidence, to support GPs to deliver the most appropriate care and support to patients suffering with the long-term effects of COVID-19 in the community. This guidance will need to evolve as our understanding of the condition grows through clinical experience and robust research.”
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/gid-ng10179/documents/final-scope
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