Current Evidence on the Pathophysiology, Multidisciplinary Treatment Approaches, and Long-Term Outcomes of Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC), also referred to as long COVID, afflicts millions worldwide and shows as chronic, multisystem symptoms following acute COVID-19 infection. The most current data on the complex pathophysiology of PASC, new multidisciplinary therapies, and prolonged clinical results are combined in this methodical review. It investigates important processes, including immune dysregulation with cytokine storms, viral persistence in tissue reservoirs, microvascular damage leading to thrombosis, and organ-specific injury involving pulmonary, cardiac, and neurological systems. Models of integrated care that combine diverse experts, including pulmonologists, cardiologists, and neurologists, to handle PASC's variable presentation are evaluated in the review. Assessed results over as far as three years from the original infection include a higher chance of death, a higher likelihood of hospitalization, and the onset of chronic medical illnesses, particularly among those who were seriously impacted. There are, in fact, major problems that need to be solved, including the existence of variable diagnostic criteria, a lack of thorough data on the efficacy of several treatment modalities, and severe disparities in healthcare access, especially in underprivileged areas that have other barriers. The urgent need to establish standardized diagnostic algorithms to guarantee diagnosis uniformity, to conduct thorough randomized clinical trials to fully assess therapeutic interventions, and to develop equitable models of care able to efficiently counter the current differences in the healthcare system is highlighted in this review. This project aims to lessen PASC's enormous worldwide burden using policy and research, therefore improving the quality of life for those impacted and reinforcing world health systems.