COVID-19-Related Neuropathic Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Laura Dawn Williams; Panagiotis Zis

doi:10.3390/jcm12041672

COVID-19-Related Neuropathic Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

J Clin Med. 2023 Feb 20;12(4):1672. doi: 10.3390/jcm12041672.

Authors

Laura Dawn Williams¹, Panagiotis Zis^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Medical School, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2RX, UK.
² Medical School, University of Cyprus, Nicosia 2029, Cyprus.
³ Second Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece.

Abstract

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2, responsible for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, may impact other systems apart from the respiratory system, including the nervous system. In this systematic review, we aimed to establish the prevalence and determinants of neuropathic pain amongst COVID-19-infected individuals.

Methodology: A literature search in the PubMed database was performed and 11 papers were eligible for inclusion in this systematic review and meta-analysis.

Results: The pooled prevalence of COVID-19-related neuropathic pain was 6.7% (95% CI: 4.7-9.5%) for hospitalised patients during the acute phase and 34.3% (95% CI: 14.3-62%) for long COVID patients. The identified risk factors for COVID-19-related neuropathic pain development included depression, COVID-19 severity and azithromycin use.

Conclusions: Neuropathic pain is a very common symptom in long COVID, indicating the urgency for further research in this direction.

Keywords: COVID-19; long COVID; neuropathic pain.

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.