# Evaluating the Long-term Health Consequences of COVID-19 and Rehabilitation Therapies to Speed Convalescence

> **NIH VA I01** · VA SALT LAKE CITY HEALTHCARE SYSTEM · 2022 · —

## Abstract

COVID-19 induces profound vascular endothelial dysfunction, the long-term impact of which is unknown.
Moreover, recovery from COVID-19 is delayed in a substantial number of COVID-19 patients (~ 30-40%) and
characterized by persistent symptoms of fatigue, weakness, and neurocognitive deficits commonly referred to
as “long-COVID”. The overall objective of this project is to evaluate the long-term consequences of COVID-19
in older Veterans and provide scientifically sound recommendations for vascular endothelial function-based
rehabilitation in older Veterans after COVID-19 and older Veterans in general. The central hypothesis is that,
given the fundamental role of oxidative stress and inflammation in long-COVID, vascular endothelial dysfunction
following COVID-19 will be associated with long-term negative impacts on health and exercise-based
rehabilitation with mitochondria-targeted antioxidant (Mito-Q) supplementation will synergistically improve
peripheral and cerebral vascular endothelial dysfunction in older Veterans while convalescing from COVID-19.
The rationale for this project is that improving COVID-19-induced vascular endothelial dysfunction by decreasing
oxidative stress and inflammation with optimized rehabilitation has the potential to improve health in Veterans
with long-COVID, and improve both morbidity and mortality in older Veterans. The central hypothesis will be
tested by pursuing two Specific Aims: 1) determine the time course and health risks of vascular endothelial
dysfunction in older Veterans with long-COVID, older Veterans who are COVID-recovered, and older Veterans
who never had COVID and 2) determine the efficacy of exercise-based rehabilitation with and without Mito-Q
supplementation to improve vascular endothelial function in older Veterans with long-COVID, older Veterans
who are COVID-recovered, and older Veterans who never had COVID. Under Specific Aim 1, single passive leg
movement (sPLM), flow-mediated dilation (FMD), and the breath-hold acceleration index (BHAI) will be used to
evaluate microvascular, conduit artery, and cerebral vascular endothelial function in older patients twice annually
for 4 years to determine long-term impact of COVID-19 on vascular endothelial function. Additionally, patient
health risks, negative outcomes, [neurocognitive function, and pulmonary function] will be tracked during this
time to determine the prognostic ability of the peripheral and cerebral vascular endothelial function assessments.
For Specific Aim 2, microvascular (sPLM), conduit artery (FMD), and cerebral (BHAI) vascular endothelial
function will be assessed before and after either exercise-based rehabilitation or exercise-based rehabilitation
combined with Mito-Q supplementation to determine their efficacy to improve peripheral and cerebral vascular
endothelial function in COVID-impacted Veterans and older Veterans in general. The research proposed in this
application is innovative because it focuses on lead therapeutic ca...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10534494
- **Project number:** 1I01RX003810-01A2
- **Recipient organization:** VA SALT LAKE CITY HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
- **Principal Investigator:** Russell S. Richardson
- **Activity code:** I01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-11-01 → 2027-10-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10534494

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10534494, Evaluating the Long-term Health Consequences of COVID-19 and Rehabilitation Therapies to Speed Convalescence (1I01RX003810-01A2). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10534494. Licensed CC0.

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