National long COVID study to be based at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center

Dr. Katherine Tuttle, clinical professor (Division of Nephrology) helped to design the RECOVER initiative at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, WA to understand the implications of long COVID.

"Institute for Systems Biology, a Seattle-based organization, received the federal contract for the study in the Pacific Northwest and is partnering with Providence hospitals throughout Washington and California to follow, test and potentially treat long COVID patients," reports the Seattle Times.

COVID infection presents threats to the upper respiratory system, nervous system and organ function, however long term effects presenting as a variety of symptoms are possible for anyone who has had COVID in the past, even those who had relatively mild symptoms.

Tuttle tells the Seattle Times, “if somebody has had COVID, and they’re not feeling right, I would recommend that they see their primary care provider and have a physical and some lab work done,” Tuttle said. “Kidney failure doesn’t make you feel bad until you’re nearly dead.”

The 4-year study observes patterns among the enrolled patient population to sort out what conditions might predict whether a person gets long COVID as well as which symptoms are most commonly linked to the virus.

Read the full story in The Seattle Times and The Washington Post.