Silent Invasion: COVID-19′s Hidden Damage to Human Organs

Background: SARS-CoV-2, originally described as a respiratory pathogen, has been identified as a multisystem disease with complex and interconnected pathophysiological processes. Methods: The PRISMA framework was used to systematically review the evidence and identify and synthesize it in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases between January 2020 and May 2025. Of the 1410 screened records, 161 peer-reviewed studies involving more than 2 million patients were included in the analysis. The frequency of organ involvement, important biomarkers, and long-term outcomes were derived, and the quality of the studies was assessed using standardized tools. Results: The quantitative synthesis showed that 78%, 32%, 43%, and 28% of hospitalized patients had pulmonary, cardiovascular, 43% neurological, and 28% renal issues, respectively, with 10–35% showing persistent organ dysfunction at 6 months post-infection. The most common were cytokine storm (IL-6 (Interleukin-6) > 100 pg/mL in 72% of severe cases), endothelial dysfunction (biomarkers elevated in 87% of patients), and microvascular thrombosis (D-dimer > 2000 ng/mL in 46% of patients). Most domains were scored as having moderate-to-high confidence in the quality assessment. Conclusions: COVID-19 has long-term, multi-organ sequelae that require integrated multidisciplinary management. Healthcare systems should be ready to participate in long-term monitoring, rehabilitation, and special therapeutic development. The results offer a strong evidence base for clinical practice and post-pandemic health policy.

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