Research Offers New Direction
The Swiss paper contributes to the effort to identify systemic issues contributing to long COVID. It gives researchers one more thing to test for and link to specific, long COVID symptoms, opening the door to new treatments, Dr. Putrino said.
He doesn’t think the study supports treating the complement dysfunction if researchers don’t know what’s driving it. It may be complicated by the body’s failure to clear the virus completely, he said.
Dr. Pretorius recommended doctors test patients with long COVID for specific symptoms that may be treated using existing therapies. “If you think your patient had vascular pathology, you can test for it,” she said.
Some patients have found certain supplements and over-the-counter products helpful, she said. Among them: Coenzyme Q 10 and clot-busters such as streptokinase and Nattokinase (though she noted some doctors may not be comfortable with supplements).
“It’s the only thing we have until we’ve got trials,” she said.
Dr. Putrino said more research is needed to identify potential root causes and symptoms. A common refrain, but the only thing that will lead to specific treatments.
A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.