General practice examines treatment and persistent complaints COVID-19 ZonMw grant for three major projects

ZonMw has granted a total of 4.3 million euros for research into the treatment of COVID-19 and the symptoms that many people continue to have afterwards (Lung COVID).The research group of the department of Primary and Community Care is co-applicant of these research projects and will play an important role in this COVID research in the coming years. In these projects, the research group of Primary and Community Care of the Radboudumc works closely together with other involved parties.

Research on effective early COVID treatment

The seven Dutch departments of Primary and Community Care, including the ELG research group at Radboudumc, and Nivel will conduct this study. Henk Schers and Tim olde Hartman are co-applicants for this project, which is receiving a three million euro grant. Olde Hartman: "Together with patient representatives and other stakeholders, we are looking for an early treatment for COVID-19 that reduces the duration of symptoms and/or hospitalization, especially for vulnerable groups. We will also look at options for home treatment of moderately-serious patients with COVID. Central to this is improving COVID-19 care in general practice and the overarching infrastructure for research and knowledge exchange."

Persistent complaints after COVID-19

ZonMw awarded 750,000 euros to the study 'Persistent complaints after COVID-19: perspective from the population, patient and care'. In this study, coordinated by Groningen, Tim olde Hartman is a co-applicant.

After recovery from the acute symptoms of COVID-19, a significant proportion of people continue to have physical, psychological or cognitive symptoms: Long COVID. It is unclear what the causes and consequences of these symptoms are for the person and society and how healthcare can respond to them. This research is intended to provide practical knowledge to improve the care of patients with lung COVID. Olde Hartman: 'We will mainly contribute to the development of a primary care pathway for patients with persistent symptoms after COVID-19. In this, we will work together with regional general practitioners, paramedics and doctors in the second and third line."

Extra attention for vulnerable groups

Furthermore, the study 'Insight into persistent complaints after Covid-19 infection: a mixed methods approach', received 560,000 euros in funding. This study, coordinated by NIVEL, focuses on the nature, extent, severity, duration and risk factors for persistent COVID-19 complaints. Furthermore, the pathology, the received recovery and aftercare and how they were experienced will be examined. Special attention is paid to vulnerable patient groups. The results offer healthcare providers and patients leads for better support and early recognition of patients with persistent COVID-19 complaints. The Nijmegen research group in general practice, together with Maastricht and Groningen, are among those supplying data for this study. Olde Hartman: 'We are also going to link the GP registration networks of the NIVEL, Maastricht UMC, UMC Groningen and the Radboudumc. That infrastructure is also going to offer tremendous opportunities for all kinds of other future research."

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