COVID-19
Conditions
Brief summary
The SARS-CoV-2 virus causes COVID-19, which ranges from mild initial symptoms to severe multi-organ dysfunction. While some patients recover to their baseline states, others develop a long COVID, or post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC) consisting of symptoms persisting \>2-6 months post-infection. PASC symptoms include post-exertional malaise, fatigue, and heart palpitations as well as incident GI disorders, cognitive dysfunction, and arthritis. Based on prevalence/incidence studies, it is estimated that more than 30 million people in the US have ever developed PASC with 10-11% of patients or 11 million people continuing to feel symptoms to the present day10. SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are only \ 32% effective against infection at 4 months post-vaccination11, only 15% effective against the development of PASC12, and only 20% of American adults have received an updated booster as of December 202313. It is therefore imperative that the scientific community make progress in identifying underlying causes of PASC to develop effective treatments. This study will identify microbial metabolites associated with PASC-mediated gut dysbiosis and establish a tractable in vitro model to test T cell-gut epithelium dynamics to develop novel bio-therapeutics for multiple post-viral conditions. This case-control study will collect biospecimens (matched stool & blood) samples from 400 people with and without long COVID (200 participants/group) to understand how COVID-induced dysbiosis impacts symptom severity, immune suppression, and gut barrier dysfunction both ex vivo and in vitro.
Interventions
BIOLOGICALSubjects with and without Long COVID
To collect biospecimens (matched stool \& blood) samples from 400 people with and without long COVID (200 participants/group) to understand how COVID-induced dysbiosis impacts symptom severity, immune suppression, and gut barrier dysfunction both ex vivo and in vitro.
Sponsors
University of Chicago
Study design
Observational model
CASE_CONTROL
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 80 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Age: 18-80 * Sex: Any * Race: Any * Last COVID infection: within past 3 years, PCR- or antigen-confirmed, symptomatic (mild/moderate/severe) * COVID vaccination status: Any * Presence of long COVID symptoms (GI, cardiac, pulmonary, neuro, musculoskeletal, and/or psych): 200 with symptoms, 200 w/o symptoms as defined by SBQ-LCTM. * May or may not be doing routine endoscopy at UCM
Exclusion criteria
* Age \<18 or \>80 * Last COVID infection \>3 years ago (PCR/antigen-confirmed, symptomatic) * Currently or within the last 3 months COVID+ by nasopharyngeal PCR/antigen test * Currently diagnosed with cancer * Currently pregnant (cannot take colon biopsy sample; only eligible for survey/blood \& stool collection) * Currently on biologic immunomodulatory medications * Official diagnosis of irritable bowel disease (IBD) or other chronic GI disorder Vulnerable and/or Special Populations * Healthy adult volunteers * Pregnant people * UCMC and UChicago employees * Staff/faculty
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| To determine whether people with long COVID exhibit microbial dysbiosis characterized by decreased bacterial diversity, overgrowth of Bacteroides taxa, and lower SCFA, indole, and secondary bile acid production with biospecimen collections | At baseline until final values |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| To collect matched stool, blood, and intestinal biopsy samples from a cohort of 300 individuals with and without long COVID (150/group) | At baseline until final values |
Countries
United States
Contacts
CONTACTLavanya Visvabharathy, Ph.D
CONTACTLeila Yazdanbakhsh, MSCI
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORLavanya Visvabharathy, Ph.D
University of Chicago
Outcome results
None listed