AbstractIn the aftermath of the corona pandemic, long-COVID or post-acute COVID-19
syndrome still represents a great challenge, and this topic will continue to
represent a significant health problem in the coming years. At present, the
impact of long-COVID on our health system cannot be fully assessed but according
to current studies, up to 40% of people who have been infected with
SARS-CoV-2 suffer from clinically relevant symptoms of long-COVID syndrome
several weeks to months after the acute phase. The main symptoms are chronic
fatigue, dyspnea, and various cognitive symptoms. Initial studies have shown
that people with overweight and diabetes mellitus have a higher risk of
developing long-COVID associated symptoms. Furthermore, repeated treatment of
acute COVID-19 and long-COVID with steroids can contribute to long-term
metabolic and endocrine disorders. Therefore, a structured program with
rehabilitation and physical activity as well as optimal dietary management is of
utmost importance, especially for patients with metabolic diseases
and/or long-COVID. Furthermore, the removal of autoantibodies and
specific therapeutic apheresis procedures could lead to a significant
improvement in the symptoms of long-COVID in individual patients.