[Neurological evaluation of "post-COVID-19 syndrome" (PCS)]

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Neuropsychiatry
• Medical Diagnostics

Background:

• Post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCS) encompasses a wide range of subjective patient complaints.
• These symptoms pose significant challenges for accurate medical evaluation and diagnosis.
• Understanding and validating PCS symptoms is crucial for effective patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and validate the most common neurological, neuropsychiatric, and neuropsychological symptoms associated with post-COVID-19 syndrome.
• To provide a foundation for objective assessment of subjective PCS complaints.
• To enhance the diagnostic framework for long COVID.

Main Methods:

• Literature review focusing on validated neurological, neuropsychiatric, and neuropsychological symptoms of PCS.
• Analysis of common subjective complaints reported in post-COVID-19 patients.
• Synthesis of evidence for symptom validation in the context of long COVID.

Main Results:

• Identified and validated key PCS symptoms including fatigue, olfactory and gustatory dysfunction (loss of smell and taste).
• Confirmed the prevalence of speech/communication difficulties, cognitive disorders (brain fog), dysesthesia, and persistent muscle pain.
• Established a validated list of common neurological and neuropsychiatric manifestations of PCS.

Conclusions:

• The review provides a validated list of common neurological and neuropsychiatric symptoms of post-COVID-19 syndrome.
• This validation aids clinicians in evaluating subjective patient complaints related to long COVID.
• Further research into the pathophysiology and treatment of these validated PCS symptoms is warranted.