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Three years into the COVID-19 pandemic, with hundreds of thousands of individuals world wide affected by long-term problems of the virus, there may be nonetheless no confirmed method to deal with or stop Lengthy COVID—apart from not getting contaminated within the first place.
Lately, nevertheless, there’s been cause for cautious optimism. Researchers have discovered promising (although preliminary) indicators that sure medicine might cut back the danger of growing Lengthy COVID, and probably even ease signs amongst people who find themselves already sick.
The newest hopeful information pertains to metformin, an accessible and inexpensive drug that’s been U.S. Meals and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved to deal with Sort 2 diabetes because the Nineties. Metformin, which belongs to a category of medication referred to as biguanides, is taken as a liquid or tablet and works by controlling the quantity of sugar within the blood. It additionally decreases irritation within the physique.
In a examine that was posted on-line in March however has not but been peer-reviewed, researchers tracked a bunch of 564 obese or overweight U.S. adults who began a two-week course of metformin once they had acute COVID-19. Individuals who took metformin had a 42% decrease probability of being identified with Lengthy COVID over the next 10 months, in comparison with those that took a placebo once they first acquired sick with COVID-19. (The examine additionally tracked the results of medication ivermectin and fluvoxamine, however neither confirmed a profit in opposition to Lengthy COVID.)
Metformin seemed to be much more efficient when used early. Amongst individuals who took it inside 4 days of growing signs, the danger of Lengthy COVID dropped by greater than 60%. In complete, about 6% of people that took metformin went on to be identified with Lengthy COVID, in comparison with greater than 10% of the individuals who took a placebo.
Different research have proven that metformin can cease the SARS-CoV-2 virus from replicating, which can assist stop each extreme illness and long-term problems, explains examine co-author Dr. Carolyn Bramante, an assistant professor on the College of Minnesota Medical College. Metformin appears to work in opposition to the virus by blocking a protein in human cells that the virus makes use of to repeat itself, and by disrupting the inflammatory response brought on by the virus, she says.
Bramante says she was pleasantly shocked by how properly metformin appeared to stop Lengthy COVID, particularly when taken instantly, though extra analysis is required to verify the findings. “It’s in all probability in each pharmacy on this planet,” Bramante says. Somebody might probably “get metformin inside a day of figuring out they’ve COVID.”
Sooner or later, Bramante says, researchers also needs to examine whether or not metformin can deal with present Lengthy COVID signs. Some consultants imagine Lengthy COVID is brought on by remnants of the virus lingering within the physique. If that’s true, Bramante says, metformin’s antiviral properties would possibly assist clear it from the physique.
Different current research have additionally advised that Paxlovid, an antiviral drug used to stop extreme COVID-19 amongst high-risk sufferers, might assist stop Lengthy COVID in an analogous approach. One examine, which was posted on-line in late 2022 however had not been peer-reviewed, discovered that individuals who took Paxlovid inside 5 days of testing optimistic for COVID-19 had a 26% decrease threat of growing Lengthy COVID, in comparison with an untreated management group. (Ensitrelvir, one other antiviral drug that’s licensed in Japan however not the U.S., might also cut back the danger of growing Lengthy COVID when taken shortly after testing optimistic, its producer introduced in February.)
Some researchers are additionally finding out whether or not Paxlovid can deal with Lengthy COVID signs—an essential query, since there may be nonetheless no confirmed remedy for Lengthy COVID.
Learn Extra: Individuals Are Far Much less Prone to Get Lengthy COVID After Omicron, Examine Finds
Lengthy COVID is troublesome to deal with, at the very least partly as a result of the illness takes many types. One individual might need debilitating fatigue and mind fog whereas one other might have gastrointestinal points or nervous-system dysfunction. As a substitute of looking for a single drug that may deal with all of Lengthy COVID’s 200-plus potential signs, some analysis groups are zeroing in on particular signs, or teams of them, in hopes of discovering focused therapies.
Some instruments used to deal with individuals with myalgic encephalomyelitis/power fatigue syndrome, a post-viral situation that shares key signs with Lengthy COVID (together with excessive fatigue and crashes after exertion), might also be efficient for individuals with post-COVID problems, in response to an article printed in Nature Critiques Microbiology in January. These instruments embrace an energy-rationing technique referred to as pacing, the anti-inflammatory drug low-dose naltrexone, and beta blockers to gradual coronary heart fee and decrease blood stress. Antihistamines have additionally been proven in small research to cut back some Lengthy COVID signs, together with fatigue, mind fog, and an lack of ability to train, as have blood-thinning medicine.
Dr. Eric Topol, founding father of the Scripps Analysis Translational Institute and co-author of the current overview, says he’s additionally inspired by preliminary information on stimulation of the vagus nerve, which helps management unconscious actions like respiration and coronary heart fee, to ease sure signs.
A number of analysis groups are additionally finding out transcranial direct present stimulation (tDCS) as a possible therapy. Researchers have already studied whether or not tDCS gadgets—which administer low-intensity electrical currents to the scalp to stimulate the mind—can enhance cognition, psychological well being, and power ache. Customers should purchase quite a lot of tDCS gadgets to make use of at house, although many haven’t been cleared by the FDA.
In a single small examine that was posted on-line in September 2022 however had not been peer-reviewed, researchers discovered that, after eight tDCS classes, individuals with Lengthy COVID reported reductions in bodily fatigue and despair, although psychological fatigue and general high quality of life scores didn’t enhance.
Medical neurologist and examine co-author Dr. Jordi Matias-Guiu says he’s planning an extended follow-up examine, with sufferers receiving remedies for 3 weeks, to see if that results in higher outcomes. “This ought to be confirmed in different medical trials, however the findings are encouraging,” he says. “This can be a method that might be administered at house, and this can be a non-invasive method with minimal [side effects].”
The listing of potential remedies is rising, however the discipline wants bigger, extra coordinated analysis initiatives, Topol says; for the time being, most findings are coming from small research that have to be peer-reviewed, expanded, and duplicated. RECOVER, the U.S. Nationwide Institutes of Well being’s $1 billion Lengthy COVID analysis challenge, has begun designing trials of potential remedies, however they haven’t became therapies but.
The dearth of confirmed remedies is disappointing, Topol says, however he considers the current findings about metformin’s potential to stop Lengthy COVID “superb information.”
Topol agrees that extra research on metformin are wanted—however he says he believes that the early findings are promising sufficient, and the drug is protected and low cost sufficient, that he would personally take it now if he acquired sick with COVID-19. “I don’t wish to get Lengthy COVID,” Topol says.
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