Persistence of Long COVID Symptoms in COVID-19 Survivors Worldwide and Its Potential Pathogenesis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the prevalence of persistent long COVID symptoms, including hair loss, among COVID-19 survivors worldwide. The study found that the global prevalence of prolonged anxiety was 15.76%, chest pain persisted in 10.36% of patients, prolonged depression was found in 4.32% of survivors, and dizziness was presented in 4.83% after recovery. Hair loss was reported by 24.76% of recovered patients, while weight loss was identified in 8.19% of survivors. Prolonged palpitation was experienced by 19.38% of survivors, and sleep difficulty was found in 17.87% of survivors. The study concluded that persistent psychological symptoms are frequently reported among COVID-19 survivors, but the association between COVID-19 severity and the occurrence of persistent long COVID symptoms was not analyzed due to the lack of data. Further studies with a longer duration and larger population are needed to assess the extent of prolonged symptoms and the quality of life of COVID-19 survivors.