- A new study found that people with Long COVID were significantly more likely to experience cardiovascular disease after COVID-19. Published in Clinical Medicine Insights: Cardiology, researchers assessed a retrospective cohort of over 8,000 people who had a prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, discovering that Long COVID symptoms were associated with higher odds of cardiovascular disease, particularly angina and heart attacks, compared to people without Long COVID. The authors stated that “growing evidence suggests Long COVID and [cardiovascular disease] share underlying biological mechanisms, including chronic inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and immune dysregulation.”
- Two recent studies advanced our understanding of a pediatric inflammatory syndrome triggered by COVID-19. The first study, shared in Scientific Reports ahead of publication, found specific autoantibody patterns in both children with severe COVID-19 and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) triggered by COVID-19. The findings suggest that “COVID-19 is a risk factor for long-term autoimmune complications by acting as both a trigger and amplifier of autoimmunity,” the authors wrote. A second study in Pediatrics found that MIS-C can persist for at least 4.5 years following a SARS-CoV-2 infection and affect numerous organ systems. The authors stated the findings “redefine” the expectations of chronic health problems of children affected by MIS-C.
- The Veteran Affairs Office of Research and Development is running another potentially harmful behavior trial on Long COVID. The study, based in Palo Alto, California, is assessing water-based exercise and “cognitive training.” The study aims to enroll 50 participants, half of whom will undergo pool-based exercise three times a week for six months, followed by ten sessions of “cognitive training.” The other half will complete “usual care,” receiving education on “brain health.” Despite extensive research showing Long COVID is not deconditioning and can be made worse by exercise, the clinicaltrials.gov page does not account for post-exertional malaise (PEM), which many people with Long COVID experience.
