Better statistical tools for Long COVID and COVID-19

Statistical Methods in COVID-19/PASC Clinical Research

['FUNDING_R01'] · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · NIH-11286619

This project builds new statistical methods to help doctors and scientists understand how COVID-19 leads to long-term symptoms (Long COVID/PASC) in patients.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorMASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL (nih funded)
Locations1 site (BOSTON, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11286619 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

From a patient viewpoint, researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital are creating new statistical methods to link clinical records, lab markers, and social factors to Long COVID outcomes. They will adapt causal mediation approaches and other advanced techniques to trace pathways from SARS-CoV-2 infection to persistent symptoms or recovery. The team will test these tools using existing COVID-19 datasets and biological samples and will share the methods so other teams can run better studies. This work focuses on improving how research is done and does not provide direct treatments to participants.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: People who had COVID-19, especially those with ongoing symptoms after infection (Long COVID/PASC), are most relevant to this work.

Not a fit: If you never had COVID-19, do not have ongoing post-infection symptoms, or are seeking immediate treatment, this project is unlikely to offer direct personal benefits.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, these tools could clarify causes and subtypes of Long COVID and help design more effective clinical trials and treatments.

How similar studies have performed: Some advanced statistical approaches have helped identify COVID-19 risk factors before, but applying causal mediation and tailored methods specifically to Long COVID is relatively new and still being developed.

Where this research is happening

BOSTON, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.