Ontario researchers say they've found what causes long-COVID symptoms
Researchers at Western University in London, Ont., say they have identified for the first time the cause of long COVID symptoms.
According to a press release issued Tuesday by Western, the LIVECOVIDFREE study, which is based at five centres throughout Ontario and spearheaded by Western professor Grace Parraga, is the largest MRI study of patients afflicted with long COVID.
The use of MRI technology — combined with inhaled xenon gas — allowed researchers to see that long-COVID symptoms are related to the microscopic abnormalities that affect how oxygen is exchanged from the lungs to the red blood cells.
The results of the study were published in the journal Radiology and reveal a potential cause for long-COVID symptoms.
“By understanding the cause, team members responsible for patient care have been able to target treatment for these patients,” the press release reads.
Long COVID is characterized by the feeling of brain fog, breathlessness, fatigue and limited capacity to do normal day-to-day things. The symptoms can last weeks or months following initial infection.
“I think it is always a conundrum when someone has symptoms, but you can't identify the problem. Because if you can't identify the problem, you can't identify solutions,” said Parraga, Tier 1 Canada research chair in lung imaging to transform outcomes at Western’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry.
By having study participants inhale polarized xenon gas while inside an MRI, researchers could see in real time the function of the 300-500 million tiny alveolar sacs, which are about 1/5 of a mm in diameter and are responsible for delivering oxygen to the blood.
“With our MRI technique, we can watch in real-time the air moving through the alveolar membrane and through to the blood cells; and we can actually see the function of the tiny alveolar sacs in the lungs,” said Parraga. “What we saw on the MRI was that the transition of the oxygen into the red blood cells was depressed in these symptomatic patients who had had COVID-19, compared to healthy volunteers.”
Study participants with suspected long COVID were recruited from two London, Ont., hospitals -- London Health Sciences Centre's (LHSC) urgent COVID-19 care clinic and St. Joseph’s Health Care's post-acute COVID-19 program.
According to the release, some study participants were still symptomatic after 35 weeks. A one-year follow-up is now underway to better understand the results.
The study was done in collaboration with LHSC, St. Joseph’s, Lakehead University, McMaster University, Toronto Metropolitan University and Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Pedestrian, baby injured after stroller struck and dragged by vehicle in Squamish, B.C.
Police say a baby and a pedestrian suffered non-life-threatening injuries after a vehicle struck a baby stroller and dragged it for two blocks before stopping in Squamish, B.C.
Demonstrators kicked out of Ontario legislature for disruption after failed keffiyeh vote
A group of demonstrators were kicked out of the legislature after a second NDP motion calling for unanimous consent to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh failed to pass.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
RCMP uncovers alleged plot by 2 Montreal men to illegally sell drones, equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a plot by two men in Montreal to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
Government agrees to US$138.7M settlement over FBI's botching of Larry Nassar assault allegations
The U.S. Justice Department announced a US$138.7 million settlement Tuesday with more than 100 people who accused the FBI of grossly mishandling allegations of sexual assault against Larry Nassar in 2015 and 2016, a critical time gap that allowed the sports doctor to continue to prey on victims before his arrest.
Man wanted in connection with deadly shooting in Toronto tops list of most wanted fugitives in Canada
A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of Toronto resident 29-year-old Sharmar Powell-Flowers nine months ago has topped the list of the BOLO program’s 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada, police announced Tuesday.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
Pro-Palestinian protests roiling U.S. colleges escalate with arrests, new encampments and closures
The student protests of Israel's war with Hamas that have been creating friction at U.S. universities escalated Tuesday as new encampments sprouted and some colleges encouraged students to stay home and learn online, after dozens of arrests across the country.
Tabloid publisher says he pledged to be Trump campaign's 'eyes and ears' during 2016 race
A veteran tabloid publisher testified Tuesday that he pledged to be Donald Trump 's 'eyes and ears' during his 2016 presidential campaign, recounting how he promised the then-candidate that he would help suppress stories that had the potential to harm the Republican's election bid.