VOA健康报道2023--US Health Agency Targets Effects of ‘Long COVID’

US Health Agency Targets Effects of ‘Long COVID’

The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) is beginning a group of studies aimed at treatments for the condition called long COVID.

Reports say millions of Americans are affected¹ by long-lasting effects from COVID-19 infections.

The NIH is using $1.15 billion provided through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to study how people recover from COVID-19. The project is called RECOVER. The goal is to pay for studies examining the health problems that COVID patients suffer long after their infection has ended.

Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly is with Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. He is not involved in the NIH project. But his own research on American veterans has brought attention to long COVID. Speaking about the NIH's project, he said: "This is a year or two late and smaller in scope than one would hope but nevertheless it is a step in the right direction."

Al-Aly said getting answers is important because there are so many people pushing unproven therapies.

The term "long COVID" is used to describe about 200 symptoms. It is estimated that between 10 and 30 percent of people experience some form of long COVID after an infection.

However, even federal health officials cannot agree on what long COVID truly means. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra has said, "If I get 10 people, I get 10 answers of what long COVID really is."

The RECOVER effort has followed 24,000 patients in what are called observational studies. The goal is to define the most common symptoms. The findings will help shape future tests for treatments of the symptoms.

Current tests are already taking place. They include a trial of Pfizer's antiviral drug Paxlovid. Researchers want to find out if Paxlovid can ease long COVID symptoms. The idea behind the study is that some coronaviruses remain in some patients and the treatment will help them.

Researchers are also studying treatments for "brain fog" and other thinking problems. Posit² Science Corp. has a treatment program called BrianHQ. PASC-Cognitive Recovery is from New York City's Mount Sinai Health System. And Soterix Medical has a device that stimulates⁴ brain connections.

The two additional studies will begin in the coming months. One will test treatments for sleep problems in people with long COVID. Another will target breathing and heartbeat problems. People's bodies perform breathing and heartbeat unconsciously. The problems include the disorder⁵ POTS, which results from unusual blood flow to the heart.

One planned trial that is the subject of some disagreement involves intolerance to exercise and tiredness, or fatigue⁶. It is not a normal experiment. It is known as a "platform study." This lets the NIH add new therapies at any time.

"We can rapidly pivot⁷," said Dr. Amy Patterson, who is with the NIH. She said a failing treatment can be dropped without ending the trial. She added that the study can quickly include a treatment "if something promising⁸ comes on the horizon."

Dr. Anthony Komaroff said it is important to be flexible. He is a researcher from Harvard University. He is not involved in NIH's RECOVER program. But he said studying the effects of Paxlovid on long COVID patients "makes all sorts of sense." But he said researchers should consider extending the treatment for longer than 25 days if there is little sign of improvement.

Komaroff said he understands that people get upset over the long wait for treatment trials. He believes, however, that NIH has waited the right amount of time. Waiting, he said, permits enough time for problems to be identified.

"You've got to have targets," Komaroff said.

Words in This Story

scope –n. the areas that is included or dealt with

therapy –n. a treatment of physical or mental sickness that might or might not involve medicines

brain fog –n. the inability to think clearly

stimulate³ –v. to make something active from a less active or quiet state

pivot –v. to turn around a central point

horizon –n. (figurative) the future; a future time

clue –n. something that helps a person understand or find something out that was hidden

1 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

2 posit   

v.假定，认为

参考例句：

• If she needs salvation,she will posit a savior.如果她需要救助，她就会设想一个救助者。
• Other historians posit that she died of old age around 550 BC.别的史学家则认为她一直活到公元前550年左右才寿终正寝。

3 stimulate   

vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋

参考例句：

• Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。
• Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。

4 stimulates   

v.刺激( stimulate的第三人称单数 )；激励；使兴奋；起兴奋作用，起刺激作用，起促进作用

参考例句：

• Exercise stimulates the body. 运动促进身体健康。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Alcohol stimulates the action of the heart. 酒刺激心脏的活动。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

5 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

6 fatigue   

n.疲劳，劳累

参考例句：

• The old lady can't bear the fatigue of a long journey.这位老妇人不能忍受长途旅行的疲劳。
• I have got over my weakness and fatigue.我已从虚弱和疲劳中恢复过来了。

7 pivot   

v.在枢轴上转动；装枢轴，枢轴；adj.枢轴的

参考例句：

• She is the central pivot of creation and represents the feminine aspect in all things.她是创造的中心枢轴，表现出万物的女性面貌。
• If a spring is present,the hand wheel will pivot on the spring.如果有弹簧，手轮的枢轴会装在弹簧上。

8 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。