The World Health Organization and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London have reached an agreement on how best to measure the severity and impact of long COVID.
Researchers have identified a Core Outcome Measure Set (COMS) to accelerate the understanding and development of treatments for long COVID with major global impacts.
Long COVID occurs when symptoms including fatigue, shortness of breath, pain, exercise intolerance and cognitive dysfunction, persist or develop after COVID-19.
The international consensus study was planned and delivered collaboratively with long COVID patients and organisations, which also included the Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials Initiative, the International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infection Consortium.
Funded by the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), researchers identified the ways in which long COVID, symptoms and impacts have been measured to date, specifically selecting the one that can be used in all settings.
These were then summarised and presented to a large international group of experts and patients in a series of surveys, which then led to a final consensus to identify an agreement on what the best measurement instruments are.
A set of 12 outcomes were established by researchers to set out which aspects of long COVID should be measured in all studies and clinical services.
Researchers plan to soon publicise these recommendations to be adopted by the scientific and clinical communities.
Professor Nick Lemoine, medical director, NIHR Clinical Research Network, said: “This… research is taking us a step closer to having a clear and consistent way to measure the impact of long COVID – this is a vital tool to help speed up research to find the most effective treatments.”
Dr Margaret O’Hara, from Long COVID Support, said: “The clock is ticking for people with long COVID, we urgently need treatments and we will only get them through research. This study will help to quicken the pace at which evidence can be gathered.”
She added that the COMS needs to be utilised by researchers around the world “so that studies can be compared” and to “rapidly build a body of evidence to assess if treatments work”.