INDIANAPOLIS — After more than two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers with the Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University’s schools of medicine are taking a look at the prevalence of lingering COVID-19 symptoms, or post-COVID conditions, in Americans.
"I think since early on in the COVID pandemic, people began to wonder what the impact of this new virus would be," Dr. Shaun Grannis, Regenstrief Vice President for Data and Analytics and professor of family medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine, said. "We're beginning to get some indication from some early studies regarding long COVID, but it just hasn't been that long since the pandemic has struck. So I think [we'll be] able to provide evidence based information regarding what are the risk factors for developing long COVID? What does long COVID look like?"
Grannis also hopes the study helps nail down definitions for what long COVID, or post-COVID conditions, are.
The five year, nearly $9 million CDC grant for the research study will look at population level trends based on electronic health record data sets. A second part of the study will follow and monitor patients of all ages to track the disease course of recent infections. Researchers hope to gain an accurate reading of the burden and outcomes of individuals who have survived the virus.
"I think there's going to be some very important scientific evidence to come out of this work, to better understand in a more rigorous, longer term process exactly what the risk factors for long COVID are [and] what the actual impact is," Grannis said. "I think it's important for physicians and patients to know what their risks are and what we can best do to treat those particular risks."
Researchers are currently developing protocols and working on how they will recruit people. Grannis hopes there are some results from the study that are able to be shared by next year.
More information on the study is available here.
-
White House condemns Nazi march that took place in Columbus, Ohio
The White House on Monday condemned a Nazi march that took place in Columbus, Ohio over the weekend. Police say people wearing black carried flags with swastikas on them through the city on Saturday.
Indy Parks sees increase in basketball court use following Pacers upgrade
The Pacers and Indy Parks have teamed up to renovate basketball courts around Indianapolis. The newest court is being unveiled on the city's east side.
Shooting on Indy’s east side leaves 1 dead
A person died in a shooting on the east side of Indianapolis, near E. Washington St., on Monday evening.
Police search for driver in deadly hit-and-run on Indy's west side
An Indianapolis family is seeking justice after a 66-year-old man was killed in a hit-and-run on the west side of the city over the weekend.
