EvergreenHealth Launches New Clinical Trial to Study Long COVID Treatment

Research Department at EvergreenHealth is currently enrolling patients for the new study.

KIRKLAND, Wash.— The EvergreenHealth Research Department is enrolling patients for a groundbreaking clinical trial in partnership with the National Institute of Health's (NIH) RECOVER Initiative to study possible treatments for adults who have an autonomic nervous system disorder, known as Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), related to Long COVID.

The RECOVER-AUTONOMIC study is enrolling adults who have tested positive for COVID and who still have one or more of these autonomic dysfunction symptoms such as fast heart rate, dizziness and fatigue, when standing up from a sitting position or fully reclined.

"We are very excited to partner with the NIH RECOVER Initiative to offer this study to our community members who continue to experience autonomic dysfunction symptoms from Long COVID," said Principal Investigator Diego Lopez de Castilla, MD, MPH, FIDSA, with EvergreenHealth Infectious Diseases. "We know the results from this study will help further our understanding of symptoms resulting from Long COVID and provide us with important information to advance treatment of the disease."

NIH RECOVER is a nationwide research program designed to understand, treat and prevent long COVID, which is marked by long-term symptoms following infection by SARS-Cov-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Part of the NIH RECOVER Initiative, these trials are designed to evaluate multiple treatments simultaneously to identify more swiftly those that are effective. Interventions not showing promise can be ended, and trials can quickly shift to alternative approaches.

"The trials were developed with input from people living with long COVID, caregivers, community representatives, clinicians and scientists all with unique expertise in the field," said Gary H. Gibbons, M.D., director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute at the NIH and co-chair of RECOVER. "We are grateful for their collective involvement which significantly shaped the trials and the choice of interventions."

The two interventions being studied at EvergreenHealth include:

• Gamunex-C, a form of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), contains antibodies to help the body protect itself against infection from various diseases and is given by intravenous infusion.
• Ivabradine, an oral medication that reduces heart rate.

Those interested in enrolling in the study can find additional information at EvergreenHealth.com.