Tomaz Fonseca Pinto, Andrea Santoro, Ana Laura Grossi de Oliveira, Thais Silva Tavares, André Almeida, Francesca Incardona, Giulia Marchetti, Alessandro Cozzi-Lepri, Jorge Pinto, Julia Fonseca de Morais Caporali
Our findings support the concept of PCC as one example within the broader spectrum of PAIS, underscoring the need to recognize these conditions after non-COVID respiratory viral infections and to further investigate shared and pathogen-specific mechanisms.
BACKGROUND: How post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) differs from post-acute infection syndromes (PAIS) caused by other respiratory viruses remains uncertain. Comparing these conditions may clarify whether post-acute symptoms reflect specific consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection or broader post-viral mechanisms.
METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies comparing persistent symptoms or conditions in adults after SARS-CoV-2 infection with those following other acute respiratory viral infections. PubMed, Embase, and Scopus were searched. Random-effects models were used to estimate pooled risks.
RESULTS: Among 9,371 records screened, 22 studies were included and 14 contributed to the meta-analysis. Increased risk after SARS-CoV-2 infection was observed for pulmonary embolism, abnormal breathing, fatigue, hemorrhagic stroke, memory loss/brain fog, and palpitations; heart rate abnormalities showed borderline significance. For most other outcomes pooled estimates were not significantly more frequent than in other acute respiratory viral infections.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the concept of PCC as one example within the broader spectrum of PAIS, underscoring the need to recognize these conditions after non-COVID respiratory viral infections and to further investigate shared and pathogen-specific mechanisms.