A persistent state of
inflammation has been reported during the
COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to assess short-term heart rate variability (HRV), peripheral body temperature, and serum
cytokine levels in patients with
long COVID. We evaluated 202 patients with
long COVID symptoms categorized them according to the duration of their COVID symptoms (≤120 days, n = 81; >120 days, n = 121), in addition to 95 healthy individuals selected as controls. All HRV variables differed significantly between the control group and patients with
long COVID in the ≤120 days group (p < 0.05), and participants in the
long COVID ≤120 days group had higher temperatures than those in the
long COVID >120 days group in all regions analysed (p < 0.05).
Cytokine analysis showed higher levels of
interleukin 17 (IL-17) and
interleukin 2 (IL-2), and lower levels of
interleukin 4 (IL-4) (p < 0.05). Our results suggest a reduction in parasympathetic activation during
long COVID and an increase in body temperature due to possible endothelial damage caused by the maintenance of elevated levels of inflammatory mediators. Furthermore, high serum levels of
IL-17 and
IL-2 and low levels of
IL-4 appear to constitute a long-term profile of
COVID-19 cytokines, and these markers are potential targets for
long COVID-treatment and prevention strategies.