October 2024 Newsletter

Watch this CBS News segment on a study done at Northwestern Medicine on Long
Covid. The researchers discovered the cell type linked to Long Covid lung damage. This research may lead to better treatment for Long Covid patients. 

UB’s own Thomas J. Guttuso Jr., MD, professor of neurology in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and a physician with UBMD Neurology conducted a clinical trial to investigate lithium aspartate’s role in treating Long Covid neurological symptoms. Since Long COVID is associated with chronic inflammation and lithium has known anti-inflammatory properties, it was hypothesized that a lose dose could help with fatigue and brain fog. However, the randomized controlled trial conducted showed no benefit from 10-15 milligrams a day of lithium aspartate compared to patients receiving a placebo. Another smaller study was conducted to determine an effective dosage of lithium aspartate; results showed greater declines in fatigue and brain fog with the higher dose of 40-45 milligrams per day in 3 participants.

A study was conducted to see Long Covid’s effect on undocumented Latino immigrant population. This U.S. marginalized population has high rates of uninsurance, limited access to primary care, and language barriers when seeking health care in addition to fears surrounding discovery and deportation due to recent anti-immigrant rhetoric in U.S. politics. This cross-sectional study across emergency departments showed there was a high prevalence of long COVID symptoms among undocumented immigrants at 30.9% compared to 20.9% among Latino Legal Residents and Citizens and 28.1% of non-Latino legal residents and citizens. 60.0% of undocumented Latino immigrants did not receive care for prior long COVID symptoms. Overall, it was concluded that undocumented Latino immigrants had limited knowledge and understanding of long COVID. This highlights the need to address this disparity in this population.

Research conducted at the Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital on Boston, MA showed that the antigen associated with Covid-19 is 2X as likely to be present in patients suffering from long Covid-19 compared to patients without symptoms. Results concluded that 43% of patients with Long Covid-19 symptoms tested positive for the antigen within 14 months of their initial Covid-19 diagnosis, compared to 21% of those who did not experience extended symptoms from Long COVID.

Are you pre-diabetic or diabetic? Well, if you are on metformin then that may have decreased your likelihood of getting Long Covid. Early studies indicate that metformin may be useful in preventing Long Covid. Data from the National COVID Cohort Collaborative and National Patient-Centered Clinical Research Network showed that metformin use was associated with a 21% lower risk for death or Long Covid. More research needs to be conducted to further elucidated metformin's role in reducing Long covid in individuals with chronic conditions. 

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