OBJECTIVES: Long-COVID is suffered by people infected by the SARS-CoV-2 who experience persisting and fluctuating symptoms more than 12 weeks after the acute infection, greatly impacting their quality of life (QoL) and the whole healthcare system. This systematic review investigates the long-term consequences of COVID-19 in QoL measured by the EQ-5D (Euro QoL-five Dimensions) questionnaire.

METHODS: Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library were searched to May 2023 for studies evaluating symptoms and health-related quality of life in adult survivors from COVID-19 without age, language, or publication date restrictions. Two researchers conducted the selection of studies and data extraction independently, and a third solved any discrepancy.

RESULTS: 12 studies reported results on survivors of QoL post-COVID applying the EQ-5D questionnaire. Only 3 studies conducted in populations from Brazil and China were included, with enough data to extract information. The studies used EQ-5D-5L and clustered participants according to the severity of the disease (without or with oxygen support and other oxygen supplements, including intubation). Measures were made in 6, 11, and 12 months after discharge. All the studies showed an impact on QoL for those with mild and severe symptoms compared to asymptomatic individuals, independently of the intervention in all dimensions, but mobility. Self-care and usual activities had OR between 0.04-0.4 and 0.05-0.79, while pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression had OR between 1.93-2.88 and 1.34-3.11.

CONCLUSIONS: Considering that healthcare systems need to prepare assistance to treat sequelae and rehabilitate these patients, it becomes relevant to investigate the incidence of long-COVID as a contribution to patient follow-up actions.