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Long COVID Signal

@longcovidsignal.bsky.social

103 followers 3 following 610 posts

Tracking the latest Long COVID research so you don't have to.

Posts Replies Media

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 4h

Distinct oral and sputum microbiota at 6 months post-discharge linked to worse lung function, neurocognitive, and gut symptoms in a UK prospective cohort. Lactic acid bacteria were more prevalent in worse outcomes and tied to elevated blood inflammatory proteins. #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42860277/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 4h

Diagnosis linked to 14% higher rate of new hypertension vs unexposed, with similar increases in women and men. Population-based Swedish cohort of non-hospitalized adults aged 18-65, consistent across adjusted models. #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42857992/

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Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 11h

Thyrotoxicosis risk after COVID was 38% higher in adolescents/young adults (0-19) vs influenza, with 77% higher antithyroid drug initiation. Japanese nationwide matched retrospective cohort during the Omicron period. #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42860651/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 13h

Overlapping symptoms but distinct biological profiles separate affected youth from those with depressive disorders. Youth with depression had higher hair cortisol, while affected youth showed reduced parasympathetic activity in cross-sectional study. (n=34) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42857602/

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Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Persistent symptoms linked to lower parent-rated Chinese reading in upper grades and lower Chinese spelling in Hong Kong elementary children. Parent ratings and test scores diverged by grade level across infection groups in this cross-sectional study. (n=195) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42853787/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Pediatric primary care visits peaked in 2022 at 140 per 100,000 child-years; post-viral fatigue spiked during both 2009 H1N1 and 2022 waves. Rates highest among older children, girls, and least deprived areas in English retrospective cohort. (n=7,442,572) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42850025/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Tixagevimab/Cilgavimab did not significantly reduce spike protein or improve symptoms in immunodeficient ME/CFS patients with circulating spike. β1-adrenergic receptor autoantibodies decreased, but no other meaningful changes at 30 days in observational study. (n=21) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42843426/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Most reviewed studies found no link between prior vaccination and cognitive deficits after infection using objective testing. One larger study found a subtle benefit from ≥2 doses. Evidence remains limited and inconclusive in mini-review. #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42841133/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

A fourth vaccine dose was linked to 31% lower risk of diagnosis vs three doses, with effectiveness rising to 38% among those with severe-illness risk factors. Swedish propensity-matched cohort study; absolute risk reduction was small. (n=1,603,738) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42830827/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Choroid plexus — a key brain barrier — was significantly enlarged vs recovered controls, independent of head size. Enlargement tracked with brain-cell immune responses to serum, not standard blood inflammation markers, in a pilot case-control study. #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42826923/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Airway resistance at end-exhale was elevated 2 years after severe COVID, even when standard lung tests appeared normal. Within-breath resistance variation was attenuated vs matched healthy controls in prospective observational study. (n=18) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42821478/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Brain-targeting autoantibodies were no more common in patients with persistent symptoms than in fully recovered individuals. NMDAR1 antibodies occurred at twice pre-pandemic rates but showed no link to symptoms at ~15 months post-infection. (n=703) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42819978/

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Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Brain fog linked to reduced brain electrical responses during attention tasks vs both non-fog and pre-pandemic controls. Lower accuracy and slower reaction times persisted ~23 months after symptom resolution, suggesting lasting attentional deficits. #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42600249/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Patients showed impaired small vessel responses — blunted reactions to restricted blood flow and delayed recovery — vs age-matched controls. These vascular changes tracked with reduced NAD+/NADH ratio, a marker of cellular energy imbalance, in obs study. (n=83) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42712136/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Endothelial dysfunction persisted ~3 years post-infection despite normal heart function on echo. Peak oxygen uptake was 61% vs 77% predicted in controls, and vessel dilation correlated with exercise capacity in case-control study. (n=21) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42810981/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

No shared brain-targeting autoantibody pattern distinguished patients with neurological symptoms from controls across two cohorts. Spinal fluid and blood showed only sparse, patient-specific immune reactions in cross-cohort case-control analysis. #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42809339/

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Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

A blood DNA methylation signature distinguished patients from healthy controls across two independent prospective cohorts. Sixteen altered regions were driven mainly by helper T cells and overlapped with changes in pulmonary fibrosis risk. (n=203) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42809362/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

VR exercise therapy did not significantly outperform conventional exercise in reducing fatigue in a German double-blind RCT. Only the VR group crossed the minimal meaningful improvement threshold, with less symptom worsening (9% vs 22%). (n=100) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42809480/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

235 proteins linked to 15 of 21 post-COVID symptoms, forming six clusters tied to metabolic and inflammatory pathways Symptoms sharing similar protein profiles co-occurred more often in a proteomic observational study (n=495) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42805392/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

No somatosensory differences found vs controls, providing no support for the sensory attenuation model of fatigue. 64% met severe fatigue criteria. Fatigue was higher at baseline and rose more during exertion, yet task performance was similar in cross-over study. #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42789376/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Spike and nucleocapsid proteins persisted months after infection despite antibodies. A high-nucleocapsid subgroup showed vascular inflammation. In mice, remnant viral proteins drove organ inflammation after virus cleared; steroids reduced it. #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42781857/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

T cell dysregulation found in both airways and blood of patients with persistent respiratory symptoms vs controls. CD4 T cells increased in airway fluid, dual CD4/CD8 T cells elevated in blood, and anti-histone autoantibodies raised in obs study. (n=30) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42785801/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Worsening cardiometabolic health after infection linked to 36% higher odds of symptoms, even after adjusting for social factors and comorbidities Retrospective cohort using a validated severity score based on BMI, blood sugar, blood pressure, and lipids (n=6,364) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42772376/

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Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Over 80% of hospitalized patients reported long-term symptoms — neuromuscular and cognitive effects early, mood and breathlessness persisting to 12 months. Gender strongly linked to persistent breathlessness, mood, and gut issues in a UK multisite cohort. (n=425) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42767748/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Patients showed lower brain blood flow and slower reaction times vs matched controls during sustained attention, with greater fatigue afterward. Regional blood flow was up to 40% lower in specific brain areas in case-control fMRI study. (n=41) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42761604/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Early nirmatrelvir linked to ~12% lower risk, molnupiravir to ~8-9% lower risk, in Medicare adults 65+ with COVID. 14% developed symptoms overall. Deep learning approach correcting for timing bias matched traditional estimates in US observational study. #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42755490/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

mRNA vaccination was not associated with worsening symptoms or impaired recovery over 3–6 months. Both vaccinated and unvaccinated groups improved in fatigue and exercise capacity with no significant difference between them in German obs study. (n=174) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42755271/

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Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Genetic variants and post-infection gene changes converged on 15 heart-related genes tied to arrhythmia and remodeling Genes grouped into genetically primed, inherited-only, or virus-driven classes in Indian patients combined with hamster model pilot study. #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42508134/

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Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

In high-risk patients, anti-Spike antibody levels correlated strongly with virus-blocking ability for Delta (r=0.91) but weakly for Omicron (r=0.64). Vaccinated patients had lower antibody levels but better virus-blocking capacity in Italian observational study. #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42744669/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Central sensitization was present in 81% of patients referred for standing intolerance. Those affected had greater drops in brain blood flow while upright and higher IL-6 levels vs those without, in a cross-sectional study. (n=169) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42308676/

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Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Graves' disease patients on antithyroid therapy saw a modest rise in TT3 at 12 weeks post-infection, while most thyroid indices stayed stable 51% met criteria; smoking linked to ~5× higher odds in this retrospective cohort (n=220) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42734612/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Loss of smell and taste linked to neurological symptoms but not cardiorespiratory fitness in a cross-sectional study. Smell loss had ~2x odds of dizziness; taste loss had ~3x odds of memory problems. Exercise capacity showed no difference. (n=201) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42726454/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Neutralizing antibody capacity was significantly lower in patients vs recovered controls, despite comparable T-cell and cytokine responses. IL-6 emerged as a potential long-term inflammation biomarker in this cross-sectional study. (n=148) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42720191/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Blood lactate rose ~sixfold from rest to peak exercise in a clinical series, but values depend on protocol, fitness, and medications. Narrative review concludes lactate is most useful as part of a broader metabolic exercise profile, not a standalone diagnostic test. #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42716325/

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Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

79% of post-COVID clinic patients reported respiratory symptoms, linked to worse physical function despite mostly preserved lung function. Early respiratory symptoms were the strongest predictor of persistence (~5× odds) in Swedish longitudinal study. (n=963) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42717356/

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Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Inflammatory markers and ferritin rose while iron and transferrin fell in hospitalized patients vs controls, scaling with severity. Immune cell gene analysis confirmed these disruptions persist in severe cases — Italian multicentre observational study. (n=283) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42707311/

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Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Viusid (antioxidant supplement) improved brain fog vs placebo over 210 days in a double-blind randomized trial. Also improved mood, sleep, fatigue, and breathlessness — larger confirmatory trials needed. #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42708315/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Adding twice-daily scent training with 4 odorants boosted smell recovery more than medication and speech therapy alone. Smell test scores improved 7.9 vs 2.8 points in an observational study of post-COVID olfactory dysfunction. (n=75) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42709683/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Olfactory training for 12 weeks showed no significant improvement in smell scores or self-rated smell quality in severely affected patients (~30 months of symptoms). Prospective cohort study; quality of life remained below population norms. (n=25) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42704468/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

About 15% of US adults were prescribed an opioid, per nationally representative survey data. Significant pain interference linked to ~4x higher odds of opioid prescription; lower income nearly doubled the odds in US cross-sectional study. (n=877) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42700064/

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Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

In patients with secondary adrenal insufficiency, higher renin levels linked to dysregulated immune and clotting proteins in blood. 20 altered proteins identified, mostly immune-related including complement and platelet factors, in exploratory proteomic study. #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42695868/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Young adults after mild illness showed impaired baroreflex-dependent heart and blood pressure reflexes vs matched controls. 47% had autonomic abnormalities, 35% met POTS criteria, and 12% had orthostatic hypotension in a case-control study. (n=68) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42688561/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Classifying patients by symptom frequency and severity outperformed models using symptom occurrence alone. Accuracy rose from 88.73% to 90.12% with composite scoring, requiring fewer predictive symptoms in a diagnostic modeling study. #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42494951/

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Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Most never-hospitalised breathless patients showed no lung abnormalities on advanced xenon MRI vs controls, with >90% having normal function. However, ~13% showed minor gas transfer reductions in UK multicentre study. (n=196) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42682932/

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Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Verbal fluency was the strongest predictor of smell loss severity, outranking respiratory symptoms and parosmia. Patients with reduced smell rated pleasant odors lower while unpleasant ratings stayed intact, 15–63 months post-infection. (n=144) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Olfactory dysfunction in post-acute COVID-19: clinical characterization, hedonic asymmetry, and machine-learningbased predictor identification - PubMed

Verbal fluency emerged as the strongest predictor of OD severity in long-term PASC patients. Beyond reduced olfactory sensitivity, hyposmic patients showed asymmetric hedonic impairment, pointing to differential involvement beyond peripheral olfactory loss.

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Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Accelerometry showed low overall physical activity, with under 1 min/day of vigorous activity. Comorbid chronic illness and greater fatigue linked to lower activity; higher functional capacity linked to more activity in cross-sectional analysis. (n=141) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42678932/

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Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Ongoing symptoms linked to lower grip strength but not exercise capacity, after adjusting for age, sex, and activity level. Grip strength showed a moderate effect size, suggesting it may be a useful screening tool in post-infection follow-up (cross-sectional study). #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42366452/

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Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

6-week supervised exercise produced no significant immune changes vs usual care after multiple-comparison correction in a crossover trial. Supports short-term immunological safety of moderate-intensity exercise in adults without post-exertional symptom worsening. #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42665974/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Fibroblast-related tissue activity remained elevated in lungs and muscles 2+ years after moderate-to-severe infection, detected via PET imaging. Muscle uptake was highest in those who required mechanical ventilation. Pilot prospective observational study. (n=30) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42668009/

Long COVID Signal @longcovidsignal.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Gut bacteria transplanted from patients with symptoms persisting 2 years caused lung inflammation, intestinal inflammation, and anxiety in mice. Fecal transplant study in Chinese cohort also showed lower microbial diversity vs unexposed controls. (n=22) #LongCovid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42667585/