While many people with COVID-19 suffer from respiratory disease, there is growing evidence that the virus also affects other organs. The purpose of this study is to better understand the effects of COVID-19 on the lungs and other organs. The study investigators have developed new techniques in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to scan the lungs, heart, brain and liver. The study investigators hope to learn more about how the virus causes inflammation in these organs and how this inflammation changes over time as people recover from COVID-19 illness. The study aims to enroll 228 people in Alberta. Participants will undergo one or more MRI scans and have blood testing at one or more time points to assess for inflammation, kidney function, liver function and possible heart injury. Participants will also undergo testing to assess sense of smell, cognition (thinking and memory), spirometry (breathing test for lung function) and and exercise tolerance (walk test). The study investigators hope this study will help us learn more about the long-term risks of COVID-19 disease.
Participants with newly or recently diagnosed COVID-19 infection (inpatients and outpatients)
will undergo multi-organ MRI (heart, brain, lungs, liver), blood work, and functional testing
at one or more time points. Functional testing will include olfaction testing, cognitive
testing, spiromety, and a walk test.
Diagnostic Test: MRI (heart, brain, lungs, liver)
MRI (heart, brain, lungs, liver)
Diagnostic Test: Bloodwork
Serum biomarkers to assess systemic inflammation, renal function, cardiac injury, liver injury and steatosis, ACE-2 related peptides, cytokines, Activin A and autoantibodies to cardiac antigens, humoral cell RNA
Other: Cognitive testing
NIH toolbox Cognitive Measures
Other: Olfaction testing
Brief Smell Identification Test (BSIT)
Diagnostic Test: Spirometry
Spirometry to evaluate forced expiratory volume in 1 second and forced vital capacity
Other: Walk Test
Walk test to record overall distance walked in 6 minutes and time taken to walk the first 25 feet
Troponin substudy Inclusion Criteria:
1. 18 years of age or older
2. Willing and able to provide informed consent
3. COVID-19 positive test (within 14 days of positive test date)
4. High-sensitivity Troponin-I >100ng/L or Troponin T > 52ng/L
5. Ability to obtain Baseline MRI imaging within 7 days (up to 14 days maximum) of
Troponin result
Troponin substudy Exclusion Criteria:
1. Contraindication to MRI or MRI contrast
2. GFR < 30ml/kg/min/1.73m2
3. Hemodynamic instability requiring inotropic agents
4. Active ventilatory support
Late cross-sectional substudy Inclusion Criteria:
1. 18 years of age or older
2. Willing and able to provide informed consent
3. Previously diagnosed with COVID-19 > 3 months ago
4. Ability to obtain MRI imaging at minimum 12 weeks from COVID-19 diagnosis
Late cross-sectional substudy Exclusion Criteria:
1. Contraindication to MRI or MRI contrast
University of Calgary
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Ian Paterson, MD, Principal Investigator
University of Alberta