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Chronic Stress as a Risk Factor for Long COVID

NCT05652634 · Status: COMPLETED · Type: OBSERVATIONAL · Enrollment: 380

Last updated 2025-09-16

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

The disease caused by the pathogen SARS-CoV-2 is known as coronavirus disease with the acronym COVID-19. The acute phase of this condition typically lasts one to two weeks and usually results in a full recovery. However, in about 10-30% of those affected, the symptoms persist for more than four weeks after the onset of the disease. In this case, there is an ongoing COVID-19 illness known as long COVID. Long COVID can persist for many months and cause significant distress and limitations to those affected due to the long-term health consequences.

The causes of long COVID are still unclear and, accordingly, therapeutic measures are still insufficiently developed. It is assumed that long COVID can in principle affect anyone. Age, gender, obesity and the number of symptoms during an acute COVID-19 illness are discussed as risk factors for long COVID. Another potential risk factor for developing long COVID could be chronic stress, which has been shown to put a strain on the immune system. It is known from infections with other coronaviruses and other viral respiratory diseases that chronic stress can lead to prolonged illness and limited recovery. The aim of this study is to systematically examine chronic stress, as it existed before infection with the coronavirus, as a possible risk factor for long COVID.

For this purpose, 600 people who have been proven to be infected with SARS-CoV-2 and have developed symptoms of COVID-19 will be included in this study.

Conditions

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • University of Klagenfurt

    collaborator OTHER

  • Wayne State University

    collaborator OTHER

  • Medical University of Graz

    lead OTHER

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2023-02-09
Primary Completion
2024-01-31
Completion
2024-06-30

Countries

  • Austria

Study Locations

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Entities

Diseases

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT05652634 on ClinicalTrials.gov