Our laboratory is highly dedicated to the ongoing investigation into those adults and children who have residual effects from the SARS-CoV-19 virus. Predominately, our work centers on the use of imaging and self-reported health measures to gauge the lingering changes from the infection. The term “long COVID” has been assigned to a myraid of symptoms that range from shortness of breath to short-term memory loss. In our past work, we have tried to be on the cutting edge of documenting anatomical changes to the pleural lining of the lungs with sonography. We have also been fortunate to obtain limited views of the heart to document any structural changes from the virus. These imaging investigations have been centered on the use of sonography and MRI. We have chosen to use non-ionizing imaging technqiues to limit further exposure to chidren and young adults human tissue.
Publications related to “long COVID”
Evans KD, Yang Q, Liu Y, Ye R, Peng C. Sonography of the lungs: diagnosis and surveillance of patients with COVID-19. Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography. 2020 Jul;36(4):370-6.
Evans KD, Bloom IW, Al Sultan H. Executing Lung Sonography to Assess Acute and Chronic Disease: Can These Techniques Be Used to Monitor Adults and Children Surviving COVID-19?. Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography. 2022 May;38(3):289-96.
Snyder S, Al Sultan H, Bloom IW, Evans KD. The Implication of SARS-CoV-2 and the Subsequent Impact of External Factors in Young Adult Survivors: A Case Report. Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography. 2023 Sep;39(5):518-24.
Evans KD, Weikle AN, Fukumura YE, Roll SC, Sommerich CM. Understanding the Downstream Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Sonographers and Vascular Technologists: Healthcare Heroes’ Kryptonite!. Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography. 2023 Sep;39(5):430-40.
Evans KD, Bloom IW, Sommerich CM. All the King’s Horses and All the King’s Men: Falling Into Moral Injury, During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography. 2023 Sep;39(5):540-3.
- manuscripts in review will be posted (3 in process)
Physician colleague using remote analysis of lung sonography on a patient with active COVID.
Ongoing research related to “long COVID”
My current PhD candidate, Huriah Al Sultan, MS, is building her doctoral dissertation around the work that we have been conducting as well as new research projects that have been planned. The following in a list of our current work:
- The comparison of adolesents’ blood work compared to normal controls – funded by the SDMS Educational Foundation.
- A scoping review of young adults coping mechanisms for dealing with lingering symptoms from “long COVID”.
- A prospective data collection of young adults with varied symptoms attributed to “long COVID” and how they mitigate their pain, physical, and mental health.