Research priorities for Long Covid: refined through an international multi-stakeholder forum, 2021, Carson et al

[Andy]

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can lead to a diverse range of clinical manifestations, ranging from an asymptomatic infection to an acute respiratory distress syndrome, and multiorgan failure with high mortality rates [1]. It is established that SARS-CoV-2 not only infects the respiratory tract but that the ensuing viral replication and immune response also affects multiple organ systems, in addition to an acute systemic inflammatory response and in some cases accompanying tissue hypoxia and shock.

While many who have been infected have uncomplicated recoveries, some have prolonged illness. Prolonged course of illness has been reported in adults and children and is affecting both those who were hospitalised with COVID-19 and those who were not [2,3,4,5,6,7].

In December 2020 ISARIC (the International Severe Acute Respiratory and emerging Infection Consortium), the research funders group GloPID-R (The Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness) and global group, Long Covid Support, jointly organised a ‘Long Covid Forum’ [8]. This public forum aimed to gain a better understanding of ‘Long Covid’ and to define research priorities for funders and researchers to take forward.

Open access, https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-021-01947-0

 

[Invisible Woman]

Carson in this case being a Gail Carson and not BPSer Alan Carson.

Psychosocial health
Few studies have focussed on the psychosocial impact of COVID-19 to date and most lack a comparative group. Studies indicate that up to a fourth of patients experience neurological and psychosocial sequelae including depression and anxiety; the mechanisms underlying SARS-CoV-2 infection and its effects on the nervous system need to be explored to identify the interplay between neurological symptoms, including those manifesting as psychological symptoms, the virus and the immune response. Case-control studies, with matched control groups within the current pandemic context, are urgently needed.

I would hope that when they look at psychological symptoms they remember to take into account the devastating uncertainty that such a diagnosis, with it's lack of clear prognosis, wreaks.

How do you manage finances, expectations of employers and colleagues, family and friends etc.