What’s happening this week, December 5

Research

• This week, there are two studies making progress in the search for potential Long Covid biomarkers. A preprint from Wales, which studied blood plasma samples from 166 people, predicted the prevalence of Long Covid with 78.5% accuracy. The researchers found that Long Covid was associated with inflammation of the immune system causing complement proteins to remain dysregulated. Study authors wrote that the finding may suggest that available inhibitors of complement activation could be used to treat Long Covid. Read more about the study on MedScape.

• Another new study from Germany, including samples from 176 people, found an independent correlation between fatigue severity and blood T cell phenotypes. The authors wrote that this finding “indicates a possible role of CD4+ T cells” in how Covid-19 infection leads to fatigue, suggesting these cells might serve as a biomarker. 

• A new review and meta-analysis of 287 studies found that people with Long Covid have high rates of long-term heart complications. Chest pain and arrhythmia were the two most common at 10% and 8% prevalence, respectively, lasting for months to years. The study’s authors wrote there is a “need for high-quality epidemiologic studies to characterize these complications and understand their etiology.”

Events

• Join The Sick Times this Wednesday, December 6 at 7 pm EST / 4 pm PST for our virtual Town Hall. We want to hear from you to help us shape our publication and coverage of Long Covid and associated conditions. Register here! Auto captions from Zoom will be provided.

• Oregon Public Health Association is putting on a webinar, “Let’s Talk About Long Covid (Because not enough people are…),” Thursday, December 7 at 6 pm EST / 3 pm PST. The event will feature geriatric physical therapist Noriko Yamaguchi and disability justice advocate Gabriel San Emeterio of Long Covid Justice. ASL and Spanish interpretations are available. Tickets are $15. 

• Register for the sixth event in the NIH’s ME/CFS Research Roadmap webinar series. This week’s event, taking place on December 8, at 11 am EST/ 8 am PST will cover the physiology of ME from a variety of ME experts. Register for this week’s event here and learn more about the roadmap series here.