Persistent post-COVID syndrome, also referred to as long COVID, is a pathologic entity, which involves persistent physical, medical, and cognitive sequelae following COVID-19, including persistent immunosuppression as well as pulmonary, cardiac, and vascular fibrosis. Pathologic fibrosis of organs and vasculature leads to increased mortality and severely worsened quality of life. Inhibiting transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), an immuno- and a fibrosis modulator, may attenuate these post-COVID sequelae. Current preclinical and clinical efforts are centered on the mechanisms and manifestations of COVID-19 and its presymptomatic and prodromal periods; by comparison, the postdrome, which occurs in the aftermath of COVID-19, which we refer to as persistent post-COVID-syndrome, has received little attention. Potential long-term effects from post-COVID syndrome will assume increasing importance as a surge of treated patients are discharged from the hospital, placing a burden on healthcare systems, patients’ families, and society in general to care for these medically devastated COVID-19 survivors. This review explores underlying mechanisms and possible manifestations of persistent post-COVID syndrome, and presents a framework of strategies for the diagnosis and management of patients with suspected or confirmed persistent post-COVID syndrome.

持续性 COVID 后综合症，也称为长 COVID，是一种病理实体，涉及 COVID-19 后持续的身体、医学和认知后遗症，包括持续的免疫抑制以及肺、心脏和血管纤维化。器官和脉管系统的病理性纤维化导致死亡率增加和生活质量严重恶化。抑制转化生长因子 β (TGF-β)，一种免疫和纤维化调节剂，可能会减轻这些 COVID 后遗症。目前的临床前和临床工作集中在 COVID-19 的机制和表现及其症状前和前驱期；相比之下，发生在 COVID-19 之后的后遗症，我们称之为持续性后 COVID 综合症，却很少受到关注。随着大量接受治疗的患者出院，COVID-19 后综合症的潜在长期影响将变得越来越重要，这将给医疗保健系统、患者家属和整个社会带来负担，以照顾这些在医学上遭受重创的 COVID-19幸存者。本综述探讨了持续性 COVID 后综合征的潜在机制和可能的表现，并提出了诊断和管理疑似或确诊持续性 COVID 后综合征患者的策略框架。