A recent study reveals that blood and urine tests are not useful for diagnosing long COVID, which includes symptoms like chronic pain, brain fog, shortness of breath, and extreme fatigue. The lack of a reliable diagnostic tool means that long COVID remains a significant public health issue, impacting millions worldwide and reducing quality of life.
The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health’s RECOVER Initiative, was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Researchers analyzed over 10,000 adults from the RECOVER trial, which began in 2021 with $1.15 billion in funding. They evaluated 25 different tests but found that these tests did not provide conclusive results about long COVID.
Lead author Dr. Kristine Erlandson from the University of Colorado noted that while the tests were inconclusive, it’s still important for doctors to perform routine tests to exclude other treatable conditions. The study also found that prior SARS-CoV-2 infection might increase the risk of diabetes and could be linked to early kidney disease.
Researchers believe that ongoing inflammation might explain some symptoms of long COVID. Dr. Erlandson emphasized that long COVID is defined by symptoms and physical exams rather than lab results and warned against dismissing the condition based on normal test results.
An editorial from Johns Hopkins University highlighted the persistent challenges in understanding and treating long COVID. They noted that long COVID can be debilitating, leading to job loss and other difficulties. As of June 2024, about 1 in 20 U.S. adults reported ongoing symptoms after COVID-19.
Dr. John Baratta from UNC, who was not involved in the study, commented on the study’s high-quality analysis but noted that it did not reveal meaningful changes in blood tests between those with and without long COVID. Dr. Amy Edwards from the Pediatric COVID Recovery Clinic emphasized that diagnosing long COVID currently relies on ruling out other conditions rather than clear lab results.
Despite these challenges, Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly from Washington University appreciated the study’s efforts to find diagnostic methods for long COVID. He believes that continued research is essential for understanding and eventually diagnosing long COVID more effectively.
For now, the absence of abnormal test results may make it harder for long COVID patients to obtain disability benefits. However, global research efforts continue to explore and uncover the complexities of this condition.