Abstract

We read with interest the recently reported study by Ye et al¹ on the development and validation of the long COVID (LC) symptoms and severity score (LCSSS). The authors rightly highlight the significant global challenges of LC on patients and healthcare systems alike. This study is therefore a welcome addition in the ongoing efforts to both capture the individual symptom burden and impact of LC, as well as in endeavors to develop effective therapeutic strategies and appropriate healthcare. However, there is a noticeable absence within this study of any reference to the extant and growing body of literature on LC-specific patient-reported outcomes (PROs). Other limitations include the reliance on a limited pool of participants in the validation process (namely, college students, a limitation acknowledged by the authors), the lack of external verification of either a SARS-CoV-2 infection or post-COVID syndrome clinical diagnosis (entirely self-reported), and lack of items on functional abilities and health-related quality of life in their instrument.