LOS ANGELES, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) will launch clinical trials to investigate potential treatments for long-term symptoms after COVID-19 infection, including sleep disturbances, exercise intolerance and the worsening of symptoms following physical or mental exertion known as post-exertional malaise (PEM), the agency announced on Wednesday.
The new trials will enroll approximately 1,660 people across 50 study sites to investigate potential treatments for some of the most frequent and burdensome symptoms reported by people suffering from long COVID, according to the NIH.
"The group of symptoms these trials will try to alleviate are truly disruptive and devastating for so many people struggling with long COVID," said Walter J. Koroshetz, director of the NIH's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
"When people can't get reliable sleep, can't exert themselves and feel sick following tasks that used to be simple, the physical and mental anguish can lead to feelings of utter helplessness. We urgently need to come up with answers to help those struggling with long COVID feel whole again," Koroshetz said.
The PEM trial was developed to address concerns expressed by patient advocacy groups about patient safety, and to better understand how this study program may help improve PEM symptoms, according to the NIH. ■