- A new online survey of over 74,000 people in China found that reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 was associated with milder symptoms but led to a higher incidence and severity of Long COVID. “This extends previous findings that reinfection raises ultimate mortality and the risk of severe illness, while also leading to Long COVID,” the study’s authors wrote in The Lancet: Regional Health — Western Pacific. The study also found that COVID-19 may increase risks for bacterial and other viral infections, like influenza. Read researcher Ziyad Al-Aly’s commentary on the study here.
- A new clinical trial in Canada is exploring the common supplement taurine for treating symptoms of Long COVID. The $3 million study, funded by the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR), plans to enroll 300 participants in Edmonton, Montreal, and Toronto to test the effectiveness of the amino acid for three months. Recent research in Plus One and other journals has found that taurine may be a potential biomarker for Long COVID and/or a potential therapeutic target. Read more from the University of Alberta’s press release.
- New research in The Lancet: Regional Health — Europe has supported what many people with post-exertional malaise (PEM) already know: that symptoms can get worse following physical effort, as well as cognitive, social, and self-care activities. The study included 376 participants with Long COVID and closely recorded their effort, activity, and severity of symptoms over 24 days. The researchers found that symptoms could worsen days after exertion. The authors wrote that their findings were consistent with current recommendations for people with Long COVID and ME on avoiding potentially harmful “therapies” like graded exercise. Read commentary on the study here.
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