In a recent study published in the journal EClinicalMedicine , researchers described the incidence and differences in demographic and clinical characteristics of recorded long coronavirus disease (COVID) in primary care records in England. Study: Clinical coding of long COVID in primary care 2020–2023 in a cohort of 19 million adults: an OpenSAFELY analysis . Image Credit: p.

ill.i / Shutterstock Some individuals experience prolonged symptoms for weeks or months following Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) infection, known as long COVID. It includes cardiovascular disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, and dysautonomia, each with distinct pathophysiologies.

The heterogeneity within long COVID contributes to inconsistent definitions and varied prevalence estimates. More research on the causes and consequences is necessary. Electronic health records (EHRs) offer a potential data source despite diagnostic accuracy and inconsistent coding challenges.

In the United Kingdom (UK), diagnostic codes for long COVID have been available since November 2020. Further research is needed to understand the causes, consequences, and accurate prevalence of long COVID due to its heterogeneous nature and inconsistent definitions. The present study utilized a database of 19 million adults in England, managed by The Phoenix Partnership SystmOne (TPP SystmOne), covering 40% of General Practitioner (GP) practices.

Data was accessed via the Open Secure Analytics For Electronic H.