(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- A local health system is one of only a handful in the nation to take part in groundbreaking research into “Long COVID.”
Dr. Nirav Shah, Director of Infectious Disease Research at Northshore – Edward Elmhurst Health, said quantifying what long COVID is isn’t easy.
“You can have cardiovascular or heart-related problems like exercise intolerance,” he said. “You can have neurologic or brain-related problems like brain fog or cognitive dysfunction. You can have autonomic dysfunction, when parts of your body are doing things unexpectedly.”
That’s where RECOVER, a nationwide research program aimed at understanding, treating and preventing long COVID comes in, and Northshore – Edward-Elmhurst Health has been named one of four sites to take part in trials across the country.
“It’s kind of overwhelming to be part of such a big study," Shah said.
He also said the feedback has been outstanding as the health system searches for participants in the first round of trials.
“Enrolling in one of these trials is one of the best ways we can potentially offer therapies to patients who may have these types of symptoms,” he added. “It will also help us understand how best to treat this for anyone who has long COVID.”
Shah urges anyone interested to first talk with their doctor about their symptoms.
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