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Long COVID Clinical Trials: POTS | TrialFinder
HomeResourcesLong COVID Clinical Trials: Finding Studies for POTS, Fatigue, and Cognitive Symptoms

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Published · October 3, 2026

Long COVID Clinical Trials: Finding Studies for POTS, Fatigue, and Cognitive Symptoms

Long COVID is a name for a cluster of distinct symptom patterns that continue after a COVID-19 infection. There is currently no FDA-approved treatment specifically for Long COVID. That is why a clinical trial is often the only path to a new option that is not yet in routine care.

The field is still young. Many studies are early-phase, or they test how to manage symptoms rather than a single approved therapy. Results take time. A trial is not automatically better than ordinary medical follow-up, and nothing on this page implies a cure.

A clinical trial is one option to raise with the treating doctor. The useful question is whether a given study matches this symptom pattern: POTS or dysautonomia, fatigue with PEM, or cognitive symptoms, and whether taking part is realistic without making symptoms worse.

Long COVID is not one condition

The major symptom clusters are different enough that trials usually recruit for one of them. Matching the right pattern matters more than the Long COVID label itself.

POTS and other dysautonomia. Heart rate jumps on standing, with dizziness or lightheadedness. A standing test or a tilt-table test is how POTS is usually confirmed.

Profound fatigue with post-exertional malaise (PEM). Symptoms worsen after physical or mental effort, often hours later or the next day. PEM is not the same as ordinary tiredness after exercise.

Cognitive symptoms ("brain fog"). Trouble with memory, attention, or finding words. Trials in this cluster name cognitive symptoms or brain fog, not only Long COVID.

A chart that only says "Long COVID" is often not enough to judge eligibility.

The plain-language clinical trial glossary can help with terms such as eligibility, phase, and standard of care.

NIH RECOVER and platform trials

The NIH RECOVER initiative is the largest Long COVID research program in the United States. It includes platform trials such as RECOVER-AUTONOMIC, which tests treatments for POTS and dysautonomia (NCT06305780), and RECOVER-ENERGIZE, which studies exercise intolerance with and without PEM.

A platform trial uses one shared protocol to test more than one treatment. New study arms can be added without starting a whole new trial from scratch. That is why more options can be tested faster than in a classic one-drug study. A platform listing is still a research study. It is not an approved Long COVID treatment.

POTS and how it is diagnosed

POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) is a form of dysautonomia. In adults, it is typically diagnosed when heart rate rises by at least 30 beats per minute within 10 minutes of standing, without a large drop in blood pressure. Clinics use an active standing test or a tilt-table test.

POTS trials include both Long COVID-related POTS and general POTS populations. Both can be relevant. Ask whether POTS has been formally tested, not only suspected from symptoms.

Recruiting Long COVID trials

Questions to ask your doctor

A short list is usually enough:

  • Which symptom cluster fits: POTS or dysautonomia, fatigue with PEM, cognitive symptoms, or a mixed picture?
  • Has POTS been formally tested with a standing test or a tilt-table test?
  • If PEM is part of the picture, how does this trial handle activity so participation does not worsen symptoms?
  • Is this an early-phase or symptom-management study, and what would a realistic result look like?
  • For this profile, is a trial the relevant next step, or is standard follow-up the better conversation right now?

Want to prepare for the appointment? The guide How to Talk to Your Doctor About Clinical Trials explains how to raise the topic and what to bring with you.

Sources

  • NIH RECOVER initiative
  • RECOVER clinical trials
  • NIH: RECOVER autonomic (POTS) trial launch
  • NIH: RECOVER trials for exercise intolerance and PEM
  • Recruiting-trial facts on this page come from ClinicalTrials.gov and are shown through TrialFinder listings.

FAQ

What is Long COVID, in plain language?

Long COVID is a name for symptom patterns that continue after a COVID-19 infection. It is not one condition. POTS and other dysautonomia, fatigue with post-exertional malaise (PEM), and cognitive symptoms (brain fog) are different clusters, and trials usually recruit for one of them.

Is there an FDA-approved treatment specifically for Long COVID?

No. There is currently no FDA-approved treatment specifically for Long COVID. That is why a clinical trial is often the only path to a new option that is not yet in routine care. A trial is not automatically better than ordinary medical follow-up, and it is not a cure.

Why do POTS, fatigue with PEM, and brain fog matter for trials?

Trials usually recruit for one symptom cluster. A listing written for POTS is not interchangeable with one written for PEM or for cognitive symptoms. Matching the right pattern matters more than the Long COVID label itself.

What is a platform trial, such as the NIH RECOVER studies?

The NIH RECOVER initiative is the largest Long COVID research program. Some of its studies are platform trials, including RECOVER-AUTONOMIC (POTS and dysautonomia, NCT06305780) and RECOVER-ENERGIZE (exercise intolerance with and without PEM). A platform trial uses one shared protocol to test more than one treatment, so new arms can be added without starting a whole new study from scratch.

What should I ask a doctor before looking at listings?

Ask which symptom cluster fits, whether POTS has been formally tested with a standing test or a tilt-table test, how a given trial handles PEM so participation does not worsen symptoms, and what a realistic result would look like in an early-phase or symptom-management study.

Further reading

How to Talk to Your Doctor About Clinical Trials What questions should you ask your doctor about clinical trials? A step-by-step guide for patients: when to bring it up, what to prepare, and what to do after.

Key Clinical Trial Terms Plain-language explanations of terms patients and families encounter during the clinical trial process.

Start Here: How to Search for Clinical Trials on TrialFinder A step-by-step guide to finding clinical trials on TrialFinder. Learn how to search by condition, use filters, and understand your results.

Before You Join a Clinical Trial: Screening, Informed Consent, and Red Flags Learn what screening and informed consent involve before you join a clinical trial, which questions to ask, and which red flags mean you should walk away.

Clinical Trials in Mental Health: What Patients and Families Should Know Mental health clinical trials may test medication, therapy, or devices. How they differ from cancer trials, and how to start looking.

The Reminder Moderna and Merck's Personalized mRNA Cancer Vaccine Gives Us About Clinical Trials Moderna and Merck's personalized mRNA vaccine met Phase 3 goals in melanoma. What that shows about joining a clinical trial.

Daraxonrasib (RASONQUE) Is Now FDA-Approved for Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer The FDA approved daraxonrasib (RASONQUE) on August 26, 2026 for metastatic pancreatic cancer after prior therapy.

What is a Clinical Trial? (It's More Than You Think) How clinical trials work, why they matter, and what patients should know before considering one.

Not a Perfect Match? Tips for Getting Into a Clinical Trial Anyway A rejection from a clinical trial doesn't have to be the end. Practical tips for patients and caregivers who hit a wall.

How to Talk About Clinical Trials with a Family Member A guide for caregivers on introducing clinical trials to a loved one who is hesitant, tired, or afraid.

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This article was written by a patient advocate based on personal experience, not by a medical professional. It is not medical advice. Consult your doctor before making any medical decisions.

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Trial data from ClinicalTrials.gov. For information only.

This list is limited to recruiting studies whose title or listed conditions name Long COVID, PASC, POTS, or a closely related term. A symptom-cluster heading appears only when that term is named in those same fields. Many listings do not name PEM, standing-test results, or whether the study is Long COVID-specific versus general POTS.

Symptom cluster

Approach

Setting

Loading matching clinical trials

Trials whose title or listed conditions name POTS or dysautonomia

  • Does a Periaqueductal Gray-vagus Nerve Interface Malfunction Explain the Nat hx With Its Numerous Co-morbidities?

    POTS - Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome

    United StatesRecruiting
    Simple summary·Eligibility check·Doctor guide
    Richmond, United States

  • Cervicothoracic Sympathetic Block Evaluation for Post COVID Condition

    Autonomic Dysfunction

    CanadaRecruitingPhase 4
    Simple summary·Eligibility check·Doctor guide
    Toronto, Canada · Toronto, Canada

  • The Effect of Physical Activity on Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome

    POTS - Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome

    SwedenRecruiting
    Simple summary·Eligibility check·Doctor guide
    Malmö, Sweden

  • Phenotyping of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)

    Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome

    United StatesRecruiting
    Simple summary·Eligibility check·Doctor guide
    Dallas, United States

  • Effects of Breathing Retraining Exercises in Pregnant Females With Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome.

    Orthostatic Hypotension · Heart Rate · Blood Pressure

    PakistanRecruiting
    Simple summary·Eligibility check·Doctor guide
    Sialkot, Pakistan

  • Hypercapnia and Orthostatic Tolerance in Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome

    Postural Tachycardia Syndrome · Orthostatic Intolerance

    CanadaRecruiting
    Simple summary·Eligibility check·Doctor guide
    Calgary, Canada

  • Compression Garments in the Community With POTS

    Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome

    CanadaRecruiting
    Simple summary·Eligibility check·Doctor guide
    Calgary, Canada

  • NC Testing in LC & POTS

    Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome · Post Acute Sequelae of SARS CoV 2 Infection

    CanadaRecruiting
    Simple summary·Eligibility check·Doctor guide
    Calgary, Canada

  • CAlgary SAlt for POTS

    Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome

    CanadaRecruiting
    Simple summary·Eligibility check·Doctor guide
    Calgary, Canada

  • POTS Adrenergic Ab (CIHR Aims #1&2)

    Postural Tachycardia Syndrome

    CanadaRecruiting
    Simple summary·Eligibility check·Doctor guide
    Calgary, Canada

  • Paediatric Syncope in the Emergency Department

    Syncope, Vasovagal · Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome · Orthostatic Intolerance

    CanadaRecruiting
    Simple summary·Eligibility check·Doctor guide
    Vancouver, Canada

  • Postural Sway and Counterpressure Maneuvers for Pediatric Syncope

    Syncope, Vasovagal · Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome · Orthostatic Intolerance

    CanadaRecruiting
    Simple summary·Eligibility check·Doctor guide
    Burnaby, Canada

  • Auricular Vagal Nerve Stimulation for Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

    Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders · Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome · Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome

    United StatesRecruiting
    Simple summary·Eligibility check·Doctor guide
    Milwaukee, United States

  • Effect of 2-HOBA in Persistent Immune Activation in Long COVID POTS

    Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome · Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) · SARS CoV 2 Infection

    United StatesRecruitingPhase 2
    Simple summary·Eligibility check·Doctor guide
    Nashville, United States

  • Restoring Iron Deficiency in POTS

    POTS - Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome

    United StatesRecruitingPhase 2
    Simple summary·Eligibility check·Doctor guide
    Nashville, United States

  • Splanchnic Venous Capacitance in Postural Tachycardia Syndrome

    Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)

    United StatesRecruitingPhase 2
    Simple summary·Eligibility check·Doctor guide
    Nashville, United States

  • POTS-FLOW: Interplay Between Gut Hormones and Autonomic Postprandial Blood Flow Regulation in Patients With POTS

    Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) · Healthy

    DenmarkRecruiting
    Simple summary·Eligibility check·Doctor guide
    Copenhagen, Denmark

  • The Long COVID-19 Wearable Device Study

    Long COVID · Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome · Dysautonomia

    United StatesRecruiting
    Simple summary·Eligibility check·Doctor guide
    La Jolla, United States

  • Counterpressure Maneuvers in Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome

    Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)

    AustriaRecruiting
    Simple summary·Eligibility check·Doctor guide
    Innsbruck, Austria

  • Crossover Study of Propranolol vs Ivabradine in POTS

    Postural Tachycardia Syndrome

    CanadaRecruitingPhase 2
    Simple summary·Eligibility check·Doctor guide
    Calgary, Canada

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