COVID-19 infection and illness are caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It was first identified in 2019 and declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization in 2020. The recovery from COVID-19 is often complicated by long-term health issues that can affect multiple body systems. Many patients experience persistent respiratory symptoms months after their acute illness. In addition to clinical symptoms, some patients have abnormalities on their chest imaging and pulmonary function tests for months after COVID-19 infection. A subgroup of patients who continue to experience symptoms several weeks after recovery from COVID-19 have been referred to as “long-haulers” or having “long COVID.” A notable proportion of these patients experience respiratory symptoms, highlighting the importance of ongoing research to guide clinical care and further our understanding of on-going symptoms in COVID-19 survivors.
Research
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, our researchers and clinicians have led a number of important initiatives focused on the diagnosis, prevention, post-recovery care and understanding the impact of the pandemic on the care of people living with COPD and asthma. These initiatives have spanned the breath of the research spectrum from discovery to implementation and commercialization. They contribute to the prevention, detection, and management of COVID-19 infection.
Much of our research has focused on understanding long-term respiratory complications after COVID-19 and examining how the respiratory symptoms, imaging and pulmonary function measurements change over time during the recovery process. These studies will help identify who is at risk of developing long-term health issues and better understand the needs of patients. Our team is also involved in the BC COVID-19 Biobank Network (BCCBN), which collects and stores blood samples from across the province. These specimens, along with clinical data from post-COVID-19 patients, form a “bank” of information for use in future COVID-19 research.
There has also been progress in management of those exposed to or with COVID-19 infection. Researchers were actively exploring the anti-microbial potential of nitric oxide before the pandemic. Our researchers quickly switched focus to targeting COVID-19 and have been involved in initial safety trials and subsequent efficacy trials. Nasal nitric oxide has now been approved in many countries as prevention in people potentially exposed to COVID-19 and as a treatment for early infection. Our group paved the way for ongoing trials with inhaled nitric oxide for treatment of more advanced infection by showing the safety of inhaled nitric oxide in concentrations needed to be virucidal.
Care
The Post-COVID-19 Recovery Clinic at Vancouver General Hospital provides specialized post-COVID-19 care. It is one of several clinics as part of a collaboration with Providence Health Care, and other regional health authorities. The clinics provide service to patients, practitioners and fellow researchers by gathering data and samples while caring for survivors of COVID-19. These clinics exemplify the idea of Research as Care/Care as Research by closely linking these inextricable components.
Research
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, our researchers and clinicians have led a number of important initiatives focused on the diagnosis, prevention, post-recovery care and understanding the impact of the pandemic on the care of people living with COPD and asthma. These initiatives have spanned the breath of the research spectrum from discovery to implementation and commercialization. They contribute to the prevention, detection, and management of COVID-19 infection.
Much of our research has focused on understanding long-term respiratory complications after COVID-19 and examining how the respiratory symptoms, imaging and pulmonary function measurements change over time during the recovery process. These studies will help identify who is at risk of developing long-term health issues and better understand the needs of patients. Our team is also involved in the BC COVID-19 Biobank Network (BCCBN), which collects and stores blood samples from across the province. These specimens, along with clinical data from post-COVID-19 patients, form a “bank” of information for use in future COVID-19 research.
There has also been progress in management of those exposed to or with COVID-19 infection. Researchers were actively exploring the anti-microbial potential of nitric oxide before the pandemic. Our researchers quickly switched focus to targeting COVID-19 and have been involved in initial safety trials and subsequent efficacy trials. Nasal nitric oxide has now been approved in many countries as prevention in people potentially exposed to COVID-19 and as a treatment for early infection. Our group paved the way for ongoing trials with inhaled nitric oxide for treatment of more advanced infection by showing the safety of inhaled nitric oxide in concentrations needed to be virucidal.
Care
The Post-COVID-19 Recovery Clinic at Vancouver General Hospital provides specialized post-COVID-19 care. It is one of several clinics as part of a collaboration with Providence Health Care, and other regional health authorities. The clinics provide service to patients, practitioners and fellow researchers by gathering data and samples while caring for survivors of COVID-19. These clinics exemplify the idea of Research as Care/Care as Research by closely linking these inextricable components.