ORCHESTRA built a large research network involving over 85 observational studies (cohorts). These cohorts focused on various groups of people, including those with COVID-19 and long-term effects, the general population, people with existing health conditions, and healthcare workers. In total, the project enrolled 529 000 participants directly (broken down as 7600 in the COVID-19/post-COVID-19 group, 448 917 in general population studies, 9237 in studies of vulnerable populations, and 63 516 healthcare workers) and also incorporated data from existing health records of another 2 350 000 people.
A key achievement was the ORCHESTRA Data Portal, a user-friendly online platform that allows researchers to share and reuse data securely. This platform uses advanced techniques like federated learning, which allows researchers to analyse data without moving it from its original location, and also provides tools for exporting data for specific research questions. ORCHESTRA also created a common "language" for describing health information, defining over 3700 standardized data points and creating 210 new codes for things like social and economic factors, psychological well-being, and lifestyle. This standardized "language," which includes information about Post-COVID-19 Condition (PCC), was used to create a standard electronic form for future research studies on long-term effects of infections.
ORCHESTRA's research has helped us better understand PCC, including how symptoms change over time. Studies looking at changes in DNA patterns suggested a possible biological explanation for PCC, showing that some changes can persist for months after the initial infection. The project also developed practical guidelines for doctors treating COVID-19 patients with pre-existing health conditions. These guidelines cover topics like assessing risk, prevention, vaccination, diagnosis, managing other health problems, early treatment, and PCC. A new tool was also developed to help screen healthcare workers for emotional exhaustion during public health crises.
Analyses of gut bacteria provided insights into how COVID-19 progresses, showing that the diversity and makeup of gut bacteria could potentially be used as an early indicator of how someone will fare with the disease. ORCHESTRA also studied the broader impact of COVID-19 on society, including social and economic consequences, disruptions to healthcare, changes in retirement patterns, how the virus spread in communities, and how different countries responded to the pandemic, especially in lower- and middle-income countries.
ORCHESTRA has published 125 scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals (with an average impact factor of 5.6 and over 370 citations).
