Convalescent inflammatory conditions: a metabolomic analysis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Convalescent inflammatory conditions: a metabolomic analysis
IRAS ID
296155
Contact name
Emma Ladds
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Oxford Clinical Trials and Research Governance
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 11 months, 30 days
Research summary
21% of men and 24% of women are still thought to suffer from COVID-19 symptoms after 5 weeks with 1-3 in 100 still significantly at 3 months. Patient groups have termed this condition ‘long COVID’. Whilst a range of persistent multi-system problems, serious complications including heart attacks and strokes, and other conditions are more likely in people with pre-existing medical conditions or who were hospitalised, long COVID also affects individuals who were fit and well, and/or who experienced very mild acute symptoms.
There seem to be several different groups of individuals who experience long COVID: those who were initially hospitalised with severe lung damage who now have ongoing breathing problems; those who were not initially hospitalised but now have evidence of damage to one or more organs; and those who have persistent symptoms but do not seem to have any damaged organs. There is currently no accurate or easy way of knowing which patients with acute COVID-19 infection will develop persistent symptoms, nor which of these groups they will fall into. Similarly, whilst an inflammatory process (disruption to the immune system) has been proposed as a cause, this it still unclear. Although research is ongoing, we also don’t know how best to treat or manage the condition.
This study aims to use patterns of metabolites (small, soluble molecules) in the blood and urine, to try and generate a test to determine if someone has long COVID, establish if there are true differences between individuals with the condition, and generate a better understanding of likely underlying mechanisms – including indications of organ damage.
REC name
London - Camden & Kings Cross Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/PR/0838
Date of REC Opinion
4 Aug 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion