An observational study in SARS CoV-2 Post-Acute Sequelae, sponsored by University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 75 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-28.
Sponsored by University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill · Observational
This study will examine how common Long COVID is and how symptoms may persist over time in people who have previously had COVID-19. Researchers will collect information about participants' health and symptoms through questionnaires and may collect saliva and other non-invasive oral samples. The study will also examine biological factors in these samples that may be associated with persistent symptoms. The goal is to better understand why some people develop Long COVID and identify factors that may help predict who is more likely to experience persistent symptoms.
Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), also known as Long COVID, is characterized by persistent or newly developed symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection. The biological mechanisms underlying persistent symptoms remain incompletely understood, particularly among individuals experiencing symptoms more than two years after infection.
This observational study will evaluate individuals with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection to characterize the prevalence, severity, and persistence of PASC symptoms and identify demographic, clinical, and biological factors associated with these outcomes. Participants will complete questionnaires about their health and symptoms and provide saliva specimens for biological analyses.
Saliva will be evaluated for biological factors that may be associated with persistent symptoms, including proteins, metabolites, microorganisms, and immune-related markers.
Machine learning approaches will be used to integrate demographic, clinical, symptom, and saliva-based biological data to identify patterns associated with PASC. The study will evaluate whether these combined characteristics can be used to identify individuals who are more likely to experience persistent or severe symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection. The resulting models may help identify factors that contribute to Long COVID risk and inform future approaches for predicting persistent symptoms.
The study will include both newly enrolled participants and participants who previously participated in related SARS-CoV-2 research. Findings from this study may improve understanding of Long COVID and the factors associated with persistent symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection.
604 studies on the registry are indexed under Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome; 201 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 500 is above the median of 150 across 173 observational studies indexed under Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome.
Browse Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome studies →University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill is the lead sponsor of 1,372 studies on the registry; 133 are open to participants now.
Of its 161 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 139 (86%) have results posted.
Compared within Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome, this study's primary condition as ClinicalTrials.gg classifies it; the registry's first condition term is COVID-19. The counts are of registry records indexed under each term, refreshed daily. How we classify →
Adults aged 18 to 75 years with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection will be enrolled. The study will include individuals with and without persistent symptoms following infection to characterize the prevalence, severity, and persistence of PASC and identify demographic, clinical, and biological factors associated with Long COVID. Approximately 500 participants will be enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Adults who have previously had COVID-19 and may be experiencing ongoing symptoms or changes in their health following infection.
Other: This study is observational. Only patients who have previously tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection or are experiencing ongoing symptoms.
Other:
Salivary Proteomic Profile
Unbiased and untargeted mass spectrometric analysis of saliva proteins to obtain a specific proteomic profile
Time frame: During active infection through three months post infection
Salivary Metabolomic Profile
Unbiased and untargeted mass spectrometric analysis of saliva metabolites to obtain a specific metabolomic profile
Time frame: During active infection through three months post infection
Validated Health Questionnaires: SBQ-LC (Symptom Burden Questionnaire - Long COVID)
This instrument assesses PASC-related symptom burden following COVID-19 infection. Scoring: 0- None, 1- Mild, 2- Moderate, 3-Severe - Higher score reflects greater severity.
Time frame: During active infection through three months post infection
Validated Health Questionnaire: C19-YRS (COVID-19 Yorkshire Rehabilitation Scale)
This instrument assesses the long-term physical, cognitive, and psychological outcomes following COVID-19 infection. Scoring: 0-10 numerical scale; a higher score reflects greater severity.
Time frame: During active infection through three months post infection
Validated Health Questionnaire: EFTER-COVID survey
This instrument assesses the long-term physical, cognitive, and psychological outcomes following COVID-19 infection. EFTER is not an abbreviation; it is the name of the survey, and it is the Danish word for "After" Scoring: Yes/No - Higher score reflects More affected.
Time frame: During active infection through three months post infection
Plan to share: No — Individual participant data will not be shared with other researchers outside of the approved study team. De-identified data may be used for future research in accordance with the informed consent, applicable regulations, and institutional policies.
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome →
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill →