Long COVID-19 may be relatively new, but it is far from rare.
In the wake of the pandemic, about 6% of the world suffers from the condition, and no specific treatments exist to meaningfully manage the disease.
Until now, that is.
Researchers from Canada, Brazil and the United States combined resources and expertise to discover that fluvoxamine [Flu-VOX-ah-meen], a common type of antidepressant, reduced fatigue and improved patients’ quality of life. On the shelf, it’s known by the brand name Luvox.
The study was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, a highly respected medical journal.
Long COVID includes symptoms of fatigue, breathlessness, muscle or joint pain and disturbed sleep. The condition is characterized by unpleasantries that begin within three months of a COVID-19 diagnosis and last at least two.
The condition can cause significant problems for patients, sometimes preventing people from working, socializing, participating in family life or even leaving the house.
In the study, researchers wanted to see if common, affordable medications might offer relief for patients with established long COVID.
They tested fluvoxamine and metformin, a common diabetes medication. Metformin didn’t have any significant impact, but fluvoxamine was more effective than a placebo. Next steps will include understanding why the drug works and seeing if it can be used alongside other treatments, as well as which populations it is most effective for.
Although patients with long COVID have been desperate for science-backed treatments, researchers caution that more work lies ahead. But after years without effective options, they say the findings offer long COVID patients a long-awaited reason for hope.