This RECOVER update describes how the second phase of its adult observational study is investigating autonomic dysfunction, the breakdown of automatic body processes such as heart rate regulation and digestion, which is among the most debilitating parts of Long COVID. Dr. Rachel Hess notes that symptom characterization is difficult because patients present in varied ways, and that similar-looking symptoms may have distinct biological causes.
The piece also recaps earlier RECOVER findings: people who had COVID-19 were about 5 times more likely to develop ME/CFS than uninfected people, and the RECOVER-AUTONOMIC trial found ivabradine alone did not meaningfully improve POTS symptoms, while coordinated care combined with ivabradine did help.