Sharing science to understand Long COVID

A recent RECOVER Research Review (R3) Seminar held May 13 spotlighted research presented by Carolyn Bramante, MD, MPH (University of Minnesota) and Steve Johnson, PhD (University of Minnesota) exploring how metformin, a widely prescribed medication primarily used to manage type 2 diabetes, may help reduce the risk of Long COVID. The seminar also featured a presentation from Suzanne Vernon, PhD (Bateman Horne Center) on research examining the risk of developing myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) following a COVID-19 infection. View the recording on YouTube.

During the April 8th RECOVER Research Review (R3) Seminar, RECOVER researchers Hannah Mandel, MS, Fei Wang, PhD, Sandy Preiss, MS, and Abhishek Bhatia, MS presented findings from two different studies of electronic health records (EHRs). Rainu Kaushal, MD (Cornell University), Dr. Wang’s co-author, joined the presenters for the panel discussion and audience Q&A. Both studies examined whether taking the antiviral drug Paxlovid during a COVID-19 infection could help prevent Long COVID. Although Paxlovid is known to reduce the risk of severe COVID-19, there has been limited research into how Paxlovid might impact a person’s risk of developing Long COVID. The studies presented are two of the largest to date that have explored the role of Paxlovid in Long COVID prevention. View the recording on YouTube.

During the March 11th RECOVER Research Review (R3) Seminar, RECOVER researchers shared findings from a recent study that examined how a person’s sex may affect their risk of developing Long COVID. Dimpy Shah, MD, PhD (University of Texas Health Science Center) presented results from the study, and Nora Singer, MD (Case Western Reserve University, MetroHealth Medical Center) shared background about RECOVER’s adult observational study population and ideas for future research in this area. View the recording on YouTube.

During the February 11th RECOVER Research Review (R3) Seminar, Dr. Grace McComsey (Case Western Reserve University) and Dr. Kristine Erlandson (University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus) discussed how biomarkers – signs of disease that can be observed and measured – may provide information that will improve researchers’ ability to understand, diagnose, prevent, and treat Long COVID. Dr. McComsey and Dr. Linda Geng (Stanford University) also discussed recent updates to and findings from the RECOVER-Adult Long COVID Research Index.  View the recording on YouTube.

During the December 10th RECOVER Research Review (R3) Seminar, researchers described a recent pathobiology study investigating viral persistence, or when SARS-CoV-2 remains in a person’s body and continues to cause changes even after they recover from their initial sickness. The study’s findings suggest that viral persistence could be one reason why some people experience certain symptoms of Long COVID. View the recording on YouTube.

During the November 12th RECOVER Research Review (R3) Seminar, researchers described how they are studying people’s health and habits both before and during the pandemic to answer important questions about COVID-19 and its long-term effects. Specifically, two studies using data collected by the Collaborative Cohort of Cohorts for COVID-19 Research (C4R) have identified several different factors that could impact the protective effects of COVID-19 vaccines. View the recording on YouTube.

During the October 29th RECOVER Research Review (R3) Seminar, researchers highlighted patterns in electronic health record (EHR) data in patients who developed Long COVID after a first, or subsequent COVID-19 reinfection. By reviewing patient medical records from as early as March 2020, the findings from these studies provide insights into potential risks associated with developing Long COVID. View the recording on YouTube.