Long-term effects of COVID-19 on the cardiopulmonary system in adults and children: Current status and questions to be resolved by the National Institutes of Health Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery Initiative
Rischard, F; Altman, N; Szmuszkovicz, J; et al., CHEST, April 2024
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Short Summary
Long COVID may occur in people recovering from a COVID-19 infection and often includes symptoms related to the heart and lungs, which together are called the cardiopulmonary system. These symptoms, which include fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain, cough, and reduced ability to do physical activity, can cause significant disability. This paper explores current knowledge about what causes Long COVID and how it affects the heart and lungs, in both adults and children. The authors also discuss how participants in the Researching COVID to Enhance RECOVERY (RECOVER) Initiative will help answer questions about the impact of Long COVID on the cardiopulmonary system. Understanding these causes and effects may help researchers discover new therapies for Long COVID symptoms.
This summary was prepared by the RECOVER Initiative.
Publication Details
DOI: 10.1016/j.chest.2023.12.030
Abstract
Topic importance: Long COVID may occur in at least 10% of patients recovering from SARS-CoV-2 infection and often is associated with debilitating symptoms. Among the organ systems that might be involved in its pathogenesis, the respiratory and cardiovascular systems may be central to common symptoms seen in survivors of COVID-19, including fatigue, dyspnea, chest pain, cough, and exercise intolerance. Understand the exact symptomatology, causes, and effects of Long COVID on the heart and lungs may help us to discover new therapies. To that end, the National Institutes of Health is sponsoring a national study population of diverse volunteers to support large-scale studies on the long-term effects of COVID-19.
Review findings: The National Institutes of Health Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) initiative currently is recruiting participants in the United States to answer critical questions about Long COVID. The study comprises adult and pediatric cohorts as well as an electronic health record cohort. Based on symptoms, individuals undergo prespecified medical testing to understand whether abnormalities can be detected and are followed up longitudinally. Herein, we outline current understanding of the clinical symptoms and pathophysiologic features of Long COVID with respect to the cardiopulmonary system in adults and children and then determine how the clinical, electronic health record, and autopsy cohorts of the RECOVER initiative will attempt to answer the most pressing questions surrounding the long-term effects of COVID-19.
Summary: Data generated from the RECOVER initiative will provide guidance about missing gaps in our knowledge about Long COVID and how they might be filled by data gathered through the RECOVER initiative.
Authors
Franz Rischard, Natasha Altman, Jacqueline Szmuszkovicz, Frank Sciurba, Erika Berman-Rosenzweig, Simon Lee, Sankaran Krishnan, Ngan Truong, John Wood, Aloke V Finn, Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery Cardiopulmonary Committee
Keywords
COVID-19; heart; Long COVID; lungs; pediatrics