Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41008646›Full record

ReviewBiomolecules2025

Mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species: A Unifying Mechanism in Long COVID and Spike Protein-Associated Injury: A Narrative Review.

Eunseuk Lee, Adaobi Amelia Ozigbo, Joseph Varon, Mathew Halma, Madison Laezzo, Song Peng Ang, Jose Iglesias

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Biomolecules, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Eunseuk LeeDepartment of Internal Medicine, Rutgers Health/Community Medical Center, Toms River, NJ 08755, USA.ORCID 0009-0004-3761-576X
Adaobi Amelia OzigboCollege of Integrated Health Sciences, University at Albany SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-6174-6127
Joseph VaronCollege of Medicine, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77004, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-7622-9974
Mathew HalmaIndependent Medical Alliance, Washington, DC 20036, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-2487-0636
Madison LaezzoDepartment of Internal Medicine Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine Nutley, NJ 07110, USA.
Song Peng AngDepartment of Internal Medicine, Rutgers Health/Community Medical Center, Toms River, NJ 08755, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-8557-9880
Jose IglesiasDepartment of Internal Medicine, Rutgers Health/Community Medical Center, Toms River, NJ 08755, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-7851-0498

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (long COVID) present with persistent fatigue, cognitive impairment, and autonomic and multisystem dysfunctions that often go unnoticed by standard diagnostic tests. Increasing evidence suggests that mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress are central drivers of these post-viral sequelae. Viral infections, particularly SARS-CoV-2, disrupt mitochondrial bioenergetics by altering membrane integrity, increasing mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS), and impairing mitophagy, leading to sustained immune activation and metabolic imbalance. This review synthesizes an understanding of how mitochondrial redox signaling and impaired clearance of damaged mitochondria contribute to chronic inflammation and multisystem organ symptoms in both long COVID and post-vaccine injury. We discuss translational biomarkers and non-invasive techniques, exploring therapeutic strategies that include pharmacological, non-pharmacological, and nutritional approaches, as well as imaging modalities aimed at assessing and restoring mitochondrial health. Recognizing long COVID as a mitochondrial disorder that stems from redox imbalance will open new options for personalized treatment and management guided by biomarkers. Future clinical trials are essential to validate these approaches and translate mitochondrial resuscitation into effective care for patients suffering from long COVID and related post-viral syndromes.

Indexed as

COVID-19MitochondriaReactive Oxygen SpeciesSpike Glycoprotein, CoronavirusHumansOxidative StressPost-Acute COVID-19 SyndromeSARS-CoV-2Reactive Oxygen SpeciesSpike Glycoprotein, Coronavirusspike protein, SARS-CoV-2autophagybiomarkerslong COVIDmitochondrial dysfunctionmitochondrial reactive oxygen speciesmitophagySARS-CoV-2

Identifiers

PMID41008646
PMCPMC12467101

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.