A comprehensive, in-depth, register-based analysis of the patient population diagnosed with post-acute COVID-19 condition

Although patients with long COVID are a growing patient group, current knowledge is sparse.

Earlier studies on have mainly focused on small clinical cohorts or incomplete register data, hence, there is a lack of large comprehensive studies on the total long COVID patient group.

I have access to a unique database including data from several national registers and, importantly, primary healthcare databases originating from the two largest regions in Sweden: Stockholm and Västra Götaland, together encompassing 4.1 million inhabitants (40% of the Swedish population).

Using this set-up, I have a unique opportunity to describe, follow up, and analyze all patients diagnosed with long COVID in two defined geographical areas.

Within the COVID-19 patient group, I hypothesize that long COVID patients differ from COVID-19 patients without long COVID regarding characteristics, risk factors, and consequences after COVID-19 infection.

I propose three aims: To describe patient characteristics To identify potential risk factors To assess the consequences on the individual and on societyIt is highly important to understand the long COVID patient group both on an individual and societal level and we will provide timely, novel, and comprehensive knowledge.

This knowledge is urgently needed not only for diagnosis and treatment of the individual but also for appropriate societal resource allocation, establishment of necessary preventive strategies, and planning for future pandemic consequences.