Predictors of Long-Term Evolution in Long COVID; 4-Year Follow-Up. (BioICOPER Follow-up Study)

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

BioICOPER Long COVID Cohort: This observational cohort includes 400 adult participants previously enrolled in the baseline BioICOPER study (2021-2023), who had a confirmed diagnosis of long COVID (persistent COVID-19) according to WHO criteria. Participants will undergo a comprehensive four-year follow-up assessment to evaluate clinical evolution, vascular function, and biological markers of disease persistence and recovery. There is no intervention assigned by the investigators - participants will continue their usual medical care. The study will observe natural disease progression and its association with biomarkers, vascular measurements, and lifestyle factors.

Study summary

Long COVID (persistent COVID) represents a major global health challenge due to its high prevalence (approximately 7%), significant impact on quality of life, and socioeconomic burden. Despite extensive research, diagnostic tools to objectively identify or predict long COVID evolution are still lacking.

The BioICOPER Follow-up Study aims to analyze the influence of biomarker evolution on clinical symptomatology (particularly chronic fatigue) and vascular health after four years of follow-up among 400 participants previously included in the original BioICOPER cohort.

Advanced proteomic analysis, vascular function assessment, and machine-learning-based predictive modeling will be used to identify biomarkers associated with disease progression, stratified by sex. This project will contribute to personalized clinical management of long COVID and improved diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in primary care.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Progression of vascular stiffness measured by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) — From baseline to 48-month follow-up
  Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity will be assessed as the gold-standard measure of arterial stiffness, using the SphygmoCor® system. The study will evaluate the longitudinal change in cfPWV between baseline (BioICOPER inclusion) and the 4-year follow-up visit, in order to determine whether long COVID is associated with accelerated vascular aging.

Trial sites (1)

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