Overview

• Karolinska researchers evaluated 467 highly symptomatic, non-hospitalized long COVID patients roughly 12 months after infection with standardized testing and cardiology assessments.
• POTS was diagnosed in 31% of participants, 27% showed POTS-like features without meeting criteria, and 42% had no signs, versus under 1% prevalence reported pre-pandemic in Sweden.
• The cohort was 91% middle-aged women who were largely healthy and active before illness, which may limit broad generalization.
• Patients with POTS had higher heart rates during walking tests and reported lower health-related quality of life.
• The team recommends investigating orthostatic tachycardia in symptomatic long COVID using inexpensive tests, notes available treatments, and is launching four- and five-year follow-ups that include previously hospitalized patients.