The findings of our study (DYNAMO COVID--19) have been recently published in Physiological Society, Experimental Physiology Journal.
Full Publication: https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1113/EP091590
The study was led by Professor Charlotte Bolton and Dr Ayushman Gupta from the NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre Respiratory Theme and University of Nottingham and cross cut with other themes of the NIHR Nottingham BRC, such as, Musculoskeletal, Surgery, Inflammation & Recovery and Magnetic Resonance and Precision Imaging.
What is the central question of the study? What are the post-COVID-19 symptoms and associated metabolic and physiological sequelae in patients who contracted acute severe infection compared to healthy control volunteers?
What is the main finding and its importance? Patients 5–7 months after hospital discharge for acute severe COVID-19 compared to healthy control volunteers had (i) an increased insulin response to an oral glucose challenge, without demonstrating different whole-body fuel oxidation rates, and (ii) greater perception of fatigue and worse functional mobility, though no abnormalities in muscle, heart or brain structure and function were identified. This provides novel targets for rehabilitation strategies in individuals recovering after severe COVID-19.
Funding information:
The study was funded by NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals Trust Research and Innovation (NoRCoRP), Nottingham Hospitals Charity, P-HOSP-COVID UKRI and University of Nottingham alumni donation. A.G. is supported by an NIHR Nottingham BRC Clinical Research Fellow post; R.N. and J.M.L. are supported by the Centre for Muscular Ageing and Research (CMAR). J.J.M. was supported by the Joan Browne Legacy. The P-HOSP-COVID, which supported this project, is supported by a grant from the MRC-UK Research and Innovation and the Department of Health and Social Care through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) rapid response panel to tackle COVID-19. The views expressed in the publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the National Health Service (NHS), the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.