Lancashire university involved in biggest ever long COVID study
It'll last two years and has been awarded nearly £7,000,000
Last updated 22nd Jul 2021
The University of Central Lancashire is set to play a key role in a major new study into the potentially long-lasting effects of COVID.
The new clinical trial aims to improve diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of long COVID.
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) and UCL, in collaboration with the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), has been awarded £6.8 million by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) to conduct the research.
A team made up of more than 30 researchers, health professionals, patients and industry partners from over 30 organisations will work on the study.
The study’s co-principal investigator Professor Amitava Banerjee said: “Two million people in the UK are estimated to have had persistent symptoms for more than 12 weeks following initial COVID infection, with far-reaching impact on patients, healthcare and the economy.
“More than 80 long COVID clinics have been established around England but we need to better understand, diagnose and treat this new disease. Inequalities in access to and provision of long COVID care have already become apparent.
“Long COVID is challenging the NHS and healthcare systems around the world, which have had to deal with the acute consequences of coronavirus over the last 18 months,” said Prof Banerjee, professor of clinical data science at the UCL Institute of Health Informatics and consultant cardiologist at UCLH.
Within the overall programme of research, a trial coordinated by the University of Central Lancashire will recruit over 4,500 people with long-COVID, starting with six sites in Hull, Derby, Leicester, Liverpool, London (UCLH) and Exeter.
Individuals will be randomly assigned to usual care or a new pathway that will explore different ways of diagnosing the virus.
Within this research programme, another trial will test different drugs, such as aspirin and colchicine, to measure effects of three months treatment on symptoms, mental health, return to work and other important outcomes.
Denise Forshaw, Deputy Director of Lancashire Clinical Trials Unit and Principal Clinical Trials Manager from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), said: “Over the past year, it’s become clear that Long Covid is a serious and widespread issue that is likely to last for years to come, affecting over a million people in the UK alone. While dedicated Long Covid clinics are now in place, there is still much that we have yet to understand about the long-term impact and effective treatment of this illness.
“Through this research, we hope to establish effective investigation, treatment, and rehabilitation pathways that can mitigate the physical and mental health impacts of Long Covid, and create a more certain future for those affected regardless of their socio-economic background.
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