Study Finds No Long Covid Differences

A recent study involving over 10,000 patients across 83 clinical sites has found no significant laboratory differences between individuals with long Covid and those without. The research, led by Dr. Kristine Erlandson from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, analyzed various lab results, including blood counts and tests for kidney and liver function, but failed to identify any specific markers that could aid in diagnosing long Covid. Dr. Erlandson expressed disappointment, emphasizing that long Covid remains a symptom-driven condition without definitive laboratory indicators. In an editorial accompanying the study, experts from Johns Hopkins University noted that clinicians are left to rely on traditional methods of ruling out other conditions rather than diagnosing long Covid directly. The study utilized a scoring system based on 12 symptoms, such as brain fog and dizziness, to identify patients with long Covid, without requiring a positive Covid test or a specific timeframe for symptom onset. Dr. Marc Sala, a pulmonologist at Northwestern Medicine, acknowledged the study's thoroughness but highlighted its limitations, suggesting that the routine tests conducted may not be sufficient for diagnosing long Covid. He pointed out that while standard blood tests often yield normal results, more specialized assessments, such as exercise-related blood tests or CT scans, could reveal abnormalities in patients experiencing severe symptoms. Dr. Erlandson noted that this study represents an initial step, with ongoing research under the RECOVER Initiative aimed at developing more specialized testing methods. Dr. Nisha Viswanathan from UCLA Health echoed the study's findings, reflecting her experiences with long Covid patients over the past three years.