A study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has identified new details about long COVID, a post-infection set of conditions that can affect nearly every tissue and organ in the body. The study examined data from nearly 10,000 Americans, including 8,646 who had COVID-19, and found that long COVID was more common and severe in those infected before the 2021 Omicron variant. Researchers identified 12 symptoms that most set apart those with and without long COVID, including fatigue, brain fog, and dizziness, and established a scoring system based on patient-reported symptoms. The aim is to improve future diagnostics and treatment for long COVID.
As covered by a recent news release from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a research effort funded by the organization has identified the most common symptoms, potential subgroups, and an initial symptom-based scoring system for long COVID. Long COVID is a set of post-infection conditions that can affect almost every tissue and organ in the body and can last for months or years after a person has COVID-19. The study’s initial findings, which involved nearly 10,000 Americans, many of whom had COVID-19, have uncovered new details about the condition.
The study, which was coordinated through the NIH’s Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) initiative, is a nationwide effort dedicated to understanding why some people develop long-term symptoms following COVID-19 and how to detect, treat, and prevent long COVID. The researchers hope that this study is the next step toward potential treatments for long COVID, which affects the health and wellbeing of millions of Americans.
The researchers examined data from 9,764 adults, including 8,646 who had COVID-19 and 1,118 who did not. They assessed more than 30 symptoms across multiple body areas and organs and applied statistical analyses that identified 12 symptoms that most set apart those with and without long COVID. These symptoms include post-exertional malaise, fatigue, brain fog, dizziness, gastrointestinal symptoms, heart palpitations, issues with sexual desire or capacity, loss of smell or taste, thirst, chronic cough, chest pain, and abnormal movements.
The researchers then established a scoring system based on patient-reported symptoms. By assigning points to each of the 12 symptoms, the team gave each patient a score based on symptom combinations. With these scores in hand, researchers identified a meaningful threshold for identifying participants with long COVID.
As covered by ADM Rachel L. Levine, M.D., Assistant Secretary for Health, “Americans living with long COVID want to understand what is happening with their bodies. RECOVER, as part of a broader government response, in collaboration with academia, industry, public health institutions, advocacy organizations and patients, is making great strides toward improving our understanding of long COVID and its associated conditions.”
The study’s findings have provided scientists with a deeper insight into long COVID symptoms and potential subgroups. The researchers hope that their initial symptom-based scoring system will improve future diagnostics and treatments for long COVID. They also found that long COVID was more common and severe in study participants infected before the 2021 Omicron variant.
As the final analysis, the NIH-funded research effort has made significant strides in understanding long COVID and its associated conditions. With further research and collaboration with various organizations, the hope is to provide better diagnostics, treatments, and prevention methods for long COVID, improving the As the final analysis health and wellbeing of millions of Americans.
