Advances in research on LONG COVID

The Long COVID Unit of Germans Trias Hospital began operating during the 1st wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to the support of the Fight Infections Foundation and lrsiCaixa, from the beginning it was committed to research on LONG COVID together with care.

The Unit monitors hundreds of patients with LONG COVID. They all form the King cohort: the analysis of their clinical data must serve to understand the reason for their symptoms and to develop action protocols that allow them to respond.

Since 2020 we have already conducted several clinical studies with the ultimate goal of finding a solution for patients with LONG COVID. These are two of the most significant advances we have made:

About the CAUSE of the disease

Conducting research on LONG COVID we have discovered that many of the conditions that people with this syndrome could be related to the effect of COVID-19 on the vagus nerve, which can be altered after infection.

This nerve connects the brain to the heart, lungs, and intestines, and is responsible for controlling basic functions such as heart rate, speech, or even the act of swallowing.

About its DIAGNOSIS

Many people with LONG COVID suffer from symptoms such as extreme fatigue or fatigue due to cardiovascular system disorders caused by COVID-19.

We found that a specific type of MRI can detect these small alterations that went unnoticed with other tests where it might seem like everything was fine.