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. 2023 Jan;95(1):e28289.
doi: 10.1002/jmv.28289. Epub 2022 Nov 18.

Clinical trials on the pharmacological treatment of long COVID: A systematic review

Ying Jie Chee  1 , Bingwen Eugene Fan  2 , Barnaby Edward Young  3   4   5 , Rinkoo Dalan  1   5 , David C Lye  3   4   5   6
Affiliations

Clinical trials on the pharmacological treatment of long COVID: A systematic review

Ying Jie Chee et al. J Med Virol. 2023 Jan.

Abstract

The postacute sequelae of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (PASC), also known as post-acute coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) or the long COVID syndrome (long COVID) is an emerging public health concern. A substantial proportion of individuals may remain symptomatic months after initial recovery. An updated review of published and ongoing trials focusing on managing long COVID will help identify gaps and address the unmet needs of patients suffering from this potentially debilitating syndrome. A comprehensive literature search was conducted on the international databases and clinical trial registries from inception to 31 July 2022. This review included 6 published trials and 54 trial registration records. There is significant heterogeneity in the characterization of long COVID and ascertainment of primary outcomes. Most of the trials are focused on individual symptoms of long COVID or isolated organ dysfunction, classified according to cardiovascular, respiratory and functional capacity, neurological and psychological, fatigue, and olfactory dysfunction. Most of the interventions are related to the mechanisms causing the individual symptoms. Although the six published trials showed significant improvement in the symptoms or organ dysfunction studied, these initial studies lack internal and external validity limiting the generalizability. This review provides an update of the pharmacological agents that could be used to treat long COVID. Further standardization of the diagnostic criteria, inclusion of participants with concomitant chronic cardiometabolic diseases and standardization of outcomes will be essential in future clinical trials.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2 infection; long COVID; pharmacological treatments; post-acute sequelae.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow diagram of published trials included in the review
Figure 2
Figure 2
Flow diagram of trial registration records included in the review
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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