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COVID-19 / SPECIALTY RESEARCH

Pain MedicineIn perspective.

The key COVID-19 findings in pain medicine, distilled into a clear, readable brief. The evidence is here whenever you want to go deeper.

INSIDE THIS MONITOR
41cited sources
4available findings

Study findings updated

AI-assisted evidence summary. For general information. These findings are not individual medical advice or a clinician endorsement.

THE SHORT VERSION

What’s worth knowing.

The key findings, what they mean, and the context that matters.

THE HEADLINE TAKEAWAY30-40%

30-40% of a long COVID study group met fibromyalgia criteria

Within this study, 30-40% of the long COVID group met fibromyalgia criteria.

The proportion comes from this study's long COVID group; the study design and exact fibromyalgia criteria are not available in this summary.

See the evidence

of long COVID patients meet fibromyalgia criteria

30-40%

Ursini F, et al. Fibromyalgia: a new facet of the post-COVID-19 syndrome spectrum? Rheumatology (Oxford). 2021;60(SI):SI95-SI101.

02

Higher fibromyalgia and chronic pain risks followed SARS-CoV-2 infection

An analysis of retrospective cohort studies reported increased risks of fibromyalgia and chronic pain diagnoses after SARS-CoV-2 infection, compared with reference groups not identified in this summary.

The analysis examined 2-year risk trajectories. Without details of those reference populations, the reported relative magnitudes cannot be interpreted here.

See the evidence

Chronic Pain Diagnosis

+54%
HR 1.54 (95% CI: 1.42-1.67)

Taquet M, et al. Neurological and psychiatric risk trajectories after SARS-CoV-2 infection: an analysis of 2-year retrospective cohort studies. Lancet Psychiatry. 2022;9(10):815-827.

Fibromyalgia Diagnosis

+133%
HR 2.33 (95% CI: 1.86-2.92)

Taquet M, et al. Neurological and psychiatric risk trajectories after SARS-CoV-2 infection: an analysis of 2-year retrospective cohort studies. Lancet Psychiatry. 2022;9(10):815-827.

03

Headache was reported as early and persistent in COVID-19

The study described headache as both an early and persistent symptom in people with COVID-19.

The specific COVID-19 population, follow-up, and named comparator for the relative headache result are not available in this summary, so its magnitude is omitted.

See the evidence

Headache Disorder

+89%
HR 1.89 (95% CI: 1.54-2.32)

Caronna E, et al. Headache: A striking prodromal and persistent symptom, predictive of COVID-19 clinical evolution. Cephalalgia. 2020;40(13):1410-1421.

04

A COVID-19 review reported increased neuropathy diagnoses

The review reported an increase in neuropathy diagnoses in connection with COVID-19 versus a reference group not identified in this summary.

This was a 2-year review. The population behind the relative result is also unavailable here, so the size of the increase cannot be interpreted.

See the evidence

Neuropathy Diagnosis

+67%
HR 1.67 (95% CI: 1.38-2.02)

Taga A, Bhattacharyya S. COVID-19 and the peripheral nervous system: A 2-year review. J Peripher Nerv Syst. 2023;28(1):5-27.

Study-specific findings. Different populations, treatments and follow-up periods can produce different results.

THE RESEARCH, AS IT ARRIVES

Latest studies.

The newest findings added to this collection.
The learning from each, already distilled.

Study summaries are not available in this collection yet. The original evidence remains accessible in each monitor.

Dates show when findings were added here, not when papers were published. Study populations and comparisons differ.

WHEN YOU WANT TO GO DEEPER
See all 4 findingsOriginal results, comparisons and study details.
3 of 3 source groupsFindings stay together with their study.
SOURCE 062 findings

Taquet M, et al. Neurological and psychiatric risk trajectories after SARS-CoV-2 infection: an analysis of 2-year retrospective cohort studies. Lancet Psychiatry. 2022;9(10):815-827.

Fibromyalgia Diagnosis

+133%HR 2.33 (95% CI: 1.86-2.92)Source [6]

Chronic Pain Diagnosis

+54%HR 1.54 (95% CI: 1.42-1.67)Source [6]
SOURCE 191 finding

Caronna E, et al. Headache: A striking prodromal and persistent symptom, predictive of COVID-19 clinical evolution. Cephalalgia. 2020;40(13):1410-1421.

Headache Disorder

+89%HR 1.89 (95% CI: 1.54-2.32)Source [19]
Browse the 41 original sourcesThe complete bibliography behind this monitor.
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    Fernandez-de-las-Penas C, et al. Prevalence of musculoskeletal post-COVID pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Pain. 2024;165(4):735-751.

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    Fernandez-de-las-Penas C, et al. Long-COVID symptoms in individuals infected with different SARS-CoV-2 variants: A systematic review. Viruses. 2023;15(3):746.

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    Fernandez-de-las-Penas C, et al. Headache as a COVID-19 symptom: A meta-analysis. J Headache Pain. 2023;24(1):15.

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    Lopez-Leon S, et al. More than 50 long-term effects of COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sci Rep. 2021;11:16144.

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    Alkodaymi MS, et al. Prevalence of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome symptoms at different follow-up periods: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2022;28(5):657-666.

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    Taquet M, et al. Neurological and psychiatric risk trajectories after SARS-CoV-2 infection: an analysis of 2-year retrospective cohort studies. Lancet Psychiatry. 2022;9(10):815-827.

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    Xie Y, Al-Aly Z. Risks and burdens of incident disease across 10 organ systems after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Nat Med. 2022;28:583-590.

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    Al-Aly Z, et al. Outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection. Nat Med. 2023;29:2398-2405.

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    RECOVER Cohort Study. Identifying clinical phenotypes of long COVID. NIH-funded study, n>15,000.

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    UK Biobank COVID-19 Studies. Multiple analyses of prospective data on pain outcomes.

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    Oaklander AL, et al. Peripheral neuropathy evaluations of patients with prolonged long COVID. Neurol Neuroimmunol Neuroinflamm. 2022;9(3):e1146.

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    Abrams RMC, et al. Small fiber neuropathy associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Muscle Nerve. 2022;65(4):440-443.

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    Novak P, et al. Post COVID-19 syndrome associated with orthostatic cerebral hypoperfusion syndrome, small fiber neuropathy and benefit of immunotherapy. eNeurologicalSci. 2022;26:100388.

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    McAlpine L, et al. Ischemic stroke, inflammation, and endotheliopathy in COVID-19 patients. Stroke. 2021;52:e219-e222.

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    Ursini F, et al. Fibromyalgia: a new facet of the post-COVID-19 syndrome spectrum? Rheumatology (Oxford). 2021;60(SI):SI95-SI101.

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    Clauw DJ, et al. Considering the potential for an increase in chronic pain after the COVID-19 pandemic. Pain. 2023;164(2):219-223.

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    Fernandez-de-las-Penas C, et al. Sensitization symptoms are associated with psychological and cognitive variables in COVID-19 survivors. Pain Med. 2023;24(4):400-409.

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    Caronna E, et al. Headache: A striking prodromal and persistent symptom, predictive of COVID-19 clinical evolution. Cephalalgia. 2020;40(13):1410-1421.

    Open original source in a new tab
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    Caronna E, et al. Persistent headache after COVID-19. J Headache Pain. 2022;23:148.

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    Garcia-Azorin D, et al. Post-COVID-19 persistent headache: A multicentric 9-months follow-up study. Cephalalgia. 2022;42(8):804-811.

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    Membrilla JA, et al. Persistent headache after COVID-19: Pathophysiology, clinic, and treatment. Neurol Perspect. 2022;2:S31-S38.

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    Taga A, Bhattacharyya S. COVID-19 and the peripheral nervous system: A 2-year review. J Peripher Nerv Syst. 2023;28(1):5-27.

    Open original source in a new tab
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    Soares FHC, et al. Prevalence and characteristics of new-onset pain in COVID-19 survivors. Eur J Pain. 2022;26(4):863-875.

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    Dalakas MC. Guillain-Barre syndrome: The first documented COVID-19-triggered autoimmune neurological disease. Neurol Neuroimmunol Neuroinflamm. 2020;7(5):e781.

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    VanElzakker MB, et al. Chronic fatigue syndrome from vagus nerve infection: A psychoneuroimmunological hypothesis. Med Hypotheses. 2013;81(3):414-423.

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    Nalbandian A, et al. Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome. Nat Med. 2021;27:601-615.

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    Peluso MJ, et al. Long-term SARS-CoV-2-specific immune and inflammatory responses in individuals recovering from COVID-19 with and without post-acute symptoms. Cell Rep. 2021;36(6):109518.

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    Proal AD, VanElzakker MB. Long COVID or post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC): An overview of biological factors that may contribute to persistent symptoms. Front Microbiol. 2021;12:698169.

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    Bonilla H, et al. Therapeutic trials for long COVID-19: A call to action from the interventions taskforce of the RECOVER initiative. Front Immunol. 2023;14:1129459.

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    CDC Clinical Guidance. Post-COVID Conditions. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2023.

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    WHO Clinical Case Definition. A clinical case definition of post COVID-19 condition. World Health Organization. 2021.

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    Oaklander AL. The density of remaining nerve endings in human skin with and without postherpetic neuralgia after shingles. Pain. 2001;92(1-2):139-145.

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    Systrom DM, et al. Reduced aerobic capacity in patients with long COVID with normal pulmonary function and peripheral oxygen extraction. Chest. 2021;160(4):A1304-A1305.

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    Systrom DM, et al. Invasive cardiopulmonary exercise testing reveals abnormal hemodynamics and reduced exercise capacity in patients with long COVID. ERJ Open Res. 2023.

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    Al-Aly Z, Bowe B, Xie Y. Long COVID after breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infection. Nature Medicine. 2022;28(7):1461-1467.

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ABOUT THIS MONITOR

Understanding includes the limits.

This is an AI-assisted evidence summary, not a clinician endorsement. Read each original paper for its complete methods, population and limitations. Different studies can ask different questions and report different kinds of results.

Dates marked “added” describe when a finding entered this monitor, not when the study was published or clinically reviewed. Personal health and treatment decisions belong in a conversation with a qualified clinician.

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