May 9, 2024 – The National Institutes of Health will soon launch a clinical trial to search out potential treatments for the symptoms of Long COVID, specializing in sleep disturbances, problems with exercise, and post-exertional malaise.
The trials are expected to enroll greater than 1,500 people at 50 study sites to treat a number of the commonest symptoms of Long COVID.
“When people lack adequate sleep, are unable to exert themselves, and feel sick after completing tasks that were once easy, the physical and mental anguish can lead to feelings of utter helplessness,” said Dr. Walter J. Koroshetz, director of the NIH's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, in an announcement. “We urgently need to find answers to help people struggling with Long COVID feel whole again.”
The latest trials might be a part of the NIH's Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery initiative, often called RECOVER. Since opening enrollment for 4 trials in July 2023, RECOVER now includes eight trials across the country examining all elements of long COVID. RECOVER is an element of a $1.15 billion nationwide program that Congress approved in 2020 to permit the NIH to research and test treatments for long COVID.
The study will deal with sleep disorders, testing two FDA-approved drugs currently used to treat individuals who have trouble staying awake through the day (hypersomnia). It may also test whether melatonin, an over-the-counter complement commonly used for sleep disorders, helps individuals with long-term COVID-related sleep problems. It may also test light therapy.
The studies that address the issues that victims have when exercising deal with what’s often called personalized cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, during which patients experiment with exercise training, strength and adaptability training, education and social support.
Another study is investigating a structured pace to assist individuals with physical exercise problems recognize, control and alleviate the symptoms of long-Covid disease.