Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42682932›Full record

ArticleERJ open research2026

Using hyperpolarised xenon magnetic resonance imaging to explore breathlessness in long COVID: results from the EXPLAIN study.

Kher Lik Ng, Laura Saunders, Guilhem Collier, James Grist, Nina Kainth, Victoria Harris, Laurie Smith, Scarlett Strickland, Lotta Gustafsson, Paul Hughes and 35 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in ERJ open research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

45 authors.

Kher Lik NgDivision of Clinical Medicine, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
Laura SaundersPOLARIS, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1080-9861
Guilhem CollierPOLARIS, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
James GristDepartment of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Nina KainthOxford Radiology Research Unit, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.
Victoria HarrisPrimary Care Clinical Trials Unit, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Laurie SmithPOLARIS, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5769-423X
Scarlett StricklandSheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK.
Lotta GustafssonSheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK.
Paul HughesPOLARIS, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
Ionitiana EvansOxford Radiology Research Unit, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.
Leizl AlvarezOxford Radiology Research Unit, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.
Avianna LawsOxford Radiology Research Unit, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.
Siby ThomasSheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK.
Alberto BiancardiPOLARIS, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2765-0773
Jennifer RodgersPOLARIS, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
Samantha JonesDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Cardiff, UK.
Demi JakymelenPOLARIS, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
Martin BrookPOLARIS, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
Thomas NewmanSheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK.
Megan PlowrightDivision of Clinical Medicine, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
Lily Dryhurst-PearceDivision of Clinical Medicine, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
Amany ElbehairyDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5180-519X
Kenneth JacobOxford Radiology Research Unit, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.
Anthony McIntyreDepartment of Radiology, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.
David CapenerPOLARIS, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
Jonathan BrayPOLARIS, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
Marianne DurrantDepartment of Radiology, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.
Kylie YeungDepartment of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Huw WaltersDepartment of Radiology, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.
Violet MatthewsOxford Radiology Research Unit, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.
Lisa WatsonPOLARIS, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
Gavin VuddamalayOxford Radiology Research Unit, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.
Gabriele Abu-EidOxford Radiology Research Unit, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.
Viktorie Madhusudhan StisovaDepartment of Radiopharmacy, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.
Mark CoxDepartment of Radiopharmacy, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.
Maja LachutOxford Radiology Research Unit, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.
Nina MulveyOxford Radiology Research Unit, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.
William HickesOxford Radiology Research Unit, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.
Alexander HorsleyDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1828-0058
Helen DaviesDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Cardiff, UK.
Alfred A Roger ThompsonDivision of Clinical Medicine, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0717-4551
Fergus GleesonDepartment of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Jim WildPOLARIS, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
Emily FraserDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7449-5793

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Breathlessness is a common symptom in long COVID (LC). Using hyperpolarised xenon magnetic resonance imaging ( Methods: In this prospective, multicentre study, we compared Results: Of 269 participants recruited, 196 were included in the analysis (109 BLC, 43 NBLC, 44 controls), with age and sex well matched across groups. BLC had a significantly longer interval from infection to MRI (median 632 days; p<0.001). No significant differences in global or regional RBC:M or RBC:Gas were observed across groups. BLC showed lower forced expiratory volume in 1 s, forced vital capacity, transfer factor of the lung for carbon monoxide ( Interpretation: Most nonhospitalised LC participants exhibited no detectable pulmonary abnormalities, including those with breathlessness. However, ∼13% of breathless individuals demonstrated minor reductions in

Identifiers

PMID42682932
PMCPMC13531307

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.