KANSAS CITY, Mo. — After contracting COVID-19, some people tend to have symptoms for a longer period of time, something scientists have dubbed as "COVID-19 long haul."
Those symptoms vary from a cough, to a loss of smell or taste, among others.
Now, the University of Kansas Medical Center is participating in a multi-site clinical study to determine why some adults develop long COVID, while others don't.
The study is being coordinated by New York University Health and is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health.
KU Medical Center was awarded a $1.1 million grant to participate in the study.
Dr. Mario Castro, the vice chair for clinical and transitional research and a pulmonologist at the University of Kansas School of Medicine, is the principal investigator at the KU Medical Center site.
“We estimate that somewhere between 20% and 30% of people who've had an acute COVID-19 infection will develop symptoms of long COVID,” Castro said. “This is likely to be one of the top public health problems we face in the near future and probably for the next decade.”
In total, more than 17,000 adults 18 years or older from across the United States will be enrolled in the study.
KU Medical Center in-conjunction with the University of Kansas Health System is hoping to enroll more than 200 people.
The study will include both people who've contracted the virus and those who have not. They will be followed for up to four years.
“We’d like to understand better what are the risk factors that lead not just to SARS-CoV-2 infection, but the development of PASC,” Castro said. “Our hope is that at the end of the day, we will be able to give clinicians a strategy to manage these patients."
Those interested in participating in the study can contact Adam Ruff at aruff@kumc.edu or at (913)-574-3932.
—
We want to hear from you on what resources Kansas City families might benefit from to help us all through the pandemic. If you have five minutes, feel free to fill out this survey to help guide our coverage: KSHB COVID Survey.
