Stellate Ganglion Block for Long COVID Symptoms: A Randomized Controlled Trial (NCT07374562)
Effect of Stellate Ganglion Block Treatment on Long COVID Symptoms: A Single-Blind, Single-Center Randomized Controlled Trial (STAR-CO)
🩺 Plain-English Summary (8th-Grade Level)
This single-center, randomized, controlled, single-blind clinical trial evaluates whether a stellate ganglion block (SGB) using bupivacaine can improve persistent symptoms in adults with long COVID. Participants are assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either an ultrasound-guided right-sided SGB or a placebo saline injection delivered to the sternocleidomastoid muscle. After the intervention, participants are followed for 26 weeks with scheduled evaluations that include symptom questionnaires and functional tests. The study assesses changes in functional status, fatigue, cognitive complaints, quality of life, dyspnea, lower-limb endurance, and orthostatic tolerance over time. Safety is monitored throughout all follow-up visits. Approximately 40 participants meeting predefined eligibility criteria will be enrolled. This trial seeks to determine whether a single stellate ganglion block has an effect on persistent long-COVID symptoms compared with placebo.The results will help determine the therapeutic value of SGB in the management of long COVID and inform future research and clinical practice.
Who can join: Review the eligibility criteria below.
Location: Centre hospitalier affilié universitaire régional — Trois-Rivières, Quebec
Age range: 18 Years
🧪 Interventions in This Study
- Stellate Ganglion Block (Bupivacaine) (PROCEDURE)
- placebo saline injection (PROCEDURE)
📋 "Do I Qualify?" — 1-Minute Self Screener
Instant ChecklistFull eligibility criteria are available on the official NIH protocol. View the criteria ↗
📍 All Participating Trial Locations (1 Sites)
- Centre hospitalier affilié universitaire régional — Trois-Rivières, Quebec
📞 Contact the Study Coordinator
Phone: (819) 697-3333
Email: marie-claude.lehoux@ssss.gouv.qc.ca
Coordinator details come directly from the registered NIH protocol. Confirm the study is still recruiting before traveling.
💰 Cost, Insurance & Patient Rights
- 100% Free Items: The investigational treatment and protocol-required procedures are supplied at zero cost by the sponsor.
- Routine Patient Care: Under federal law (ACA § 2709) and many state statutes, routine care costs are covered during participation.
- Voluntary Participation: You may withdraw at any time without affecting your standard medical care.
More studies in Long COVID
- Ensitrelvir for Viral Persistence and Inflammation in People Experiencing Long COVID — San Francisco, California
- The Long COVID Treatment Trial — La Jolla, California
- tVNS in Long COVID-19 — New York, New York
- Nutritional Management of Post COVID-19 Cognitive Symptoms — Edmonton, Alberta
- Pain in Long COVID-19: the Role of Sleep — Boston, Massachusetts
- Long COVID Immune Profiling — Nashville, Tennessee
Explore by condition: All Long COVID clinical trials
💡 How to Participate
- Check the checklist above to see if you may qualify.
- Contact the study coordinator using the phone/email above.
- Ask about the visit schedule, what is covered at no cost, and any travel support.
- Confirm with your own doctor before making a decision.