Background: Although most COVID-19 cases resolve within a few weeks, some patients still suffer from prolonged symptoms. This review aims to synthesize evidence on long COVID syndrome and look at the systemic effects in the various aspects.

Objective: We conducted a literature review to analyze the current literature on long COVID syndrome and identified common symptoms reported 4 weeks or more after the initial onset of COVID-19 in adults.

Methods: A systematic search of the PubMed and Google scholar databases was conducted until November 2022. We used the keywords “Long COVID syndrome common manifestations”, “Long COVID syndrome”, “Long COVID syndrome symptoms”, “Long COVID-19”. Primary studies including at least 30 people with confirmed or clinically suspected COVID-19 at 4 weeks or more post onset were included. Studies from January 1st, 2020-November 30th, 2022 were included.

Results: The most common long term manifestations of COVID-19 are fatigue, respiratory problems, and cognitive impairment. Cardiovascular manifestations are arrhythmias, cardiac fibrosis, and increased risk of developing heart failure. Loss of appetite, loss of taste, and abdominal pain were common gastrointestinal symptoms. The pulmonary symptoms included dyspnea, cough, and chest pain. Fatigue was the most common neurological manifestation, followed by memory and cognitive impairments.

Conclusion: The predominant symptoms of long COVID are fatigue and respiratory difficulties. However, symptoms vary amongst populations and even differ based on the severity of the original illness. Future studies should look at how long COVID syndrome affects various population groups differently.