From the Front Lines of COVID-19

• November 30, 2022

  Research reveals how a potentially fatal COVID-19 complication damages lung tissue
  

  Mechanisms involved in the rapid, severe progression of fibrosis in the lung tissues of COVID-19 patients, a potentially fatal complication of the virus that damages and scars the lungs, have been uncovered by researchers led by UTHealth Houston.

• October 7, 2022

  UTHealth Houston study finds pediatric firearm injuries increased during the COVID-19 pandemic
  

  Researchers at UTHealth Houston saw an increase in pediatric firearm-related injuries during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite also seeing a decrease in total pediatric emergency department (ED) visits over the same period, according to a poster presented at the 2022 American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference & Exhibition in Anaheim, California.

• October 4, 2022

  Method for detecting waves of COVID-19 infections can shape critical public health decisions during a pandemic
  

  A method that combines case investigation data from local health departments and hospitalizations records from local institutions allows for the objective detection of new waves of infection during a pandemic, according to research from UTHealth Houston.

• September 29, 2022

  Among people with obesity, nearly 30% gained significant weight during the COVID-19 pandemic due to mental health factors
  

  Stress, anxiety, depression, and lack of sleep contributed to weight gain over the COVID-19 pandemic for people with obesity, according to researchers at UTHealth Houston and UT Southwestern Medical Center.

• September 22, 2022

  Tao receives grant to construct vaccine knowledge base
  

  A four-year, $1.2 million grant that will help create a vaccine knowledge base has been given to researchers at UTHealth Houston, which is a subcontractor on a larger, $3.7 million grant awarded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

• September 8, 2022

  UTHealth Houston OMS treats COVID associated avascular necrosis of the maxilla
  

  For the better part of two years, 72-year-old William Baker’s health journey has been an uphill climb. With a COVID-associated avascular necrosis of the maxilla, he was referred to James C. Melville, DDS, and UTHealth Houston Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons to treat his rare side effect.

• August 8, 2022

  Children infected with a mild case of COVID-19 can still develop long COVID symptoms
  

  While research has revealed that children and adults hospitalized with COVID-19 are more susceptible to developing long COVID symptoms, a new study by researchers at UTHealth Houston found that children infected with COVID-19, but not hospitalized, still experienced long COVID symptoms up to three months past infection.

  The study was published in The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.

• July 20, 2022

  Anti-inflammatory compound shows potential in treating patients with severe COVID-19
  

  An anti-inflammatory compound may have the potential to treat systemic inflammation and brain injury in patients with severe COVID-19 and significantly reduce their chances of death, according to a new study from UTHealth Houston and other institutions.

• July 15, 2022

  Inpatient Otolaryngology Consults in the COVID-19 Era
  

  During consultations with head and neck surgeons, a significantly higher proportion of patients who tested positive for COVID-19 were treated for nosebleeds compared to patients who tested negative for the virus, according to researchers at UTHealth Houston. 

• June 28, 2022

  Awake prone positioning does not offer benefit in reducing intubation for COVID-19 induced acute respiratory failure
  

  A large multicenter, randomized clinical trial revealed no difference in the risk of endotracheal intubation requirement at 30 days between awake prone positioning and standard positioning for patients with COVID-19 who suffered from acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, according to research published in JAMA by researchers at UTHealth Houston.