Over the summer 873 papers that have Long COVID or post COVID in their title have been published on PubMed, the biggest platform for publications in the medical field. From those we selected 43 clinical studies and meta-analyses that are especially relevant for the clinical practice. In this blog, we shortly present the topics that have been addressed the most.
Four studies included in our summary concentrated on telerehabilitation. A review and meta-analysis on telerehabilitation concluded it could be an effective and safe option for enhancing physical function in patients with Long COVID, although further investigation is advisable.
In addition, three separate clinical trials showed a significant benefit for participants with Long COVID that have entered a telerehabilitation program:
- In a randomized clinical trial, a telerehabilitation program was compared to the so-called “wait and see” strategy (no intervention). Even though both groups improved during the study, the Long COVID patients in the telerehabilitation group experienced greater improvements.
- A 12-week telerehabilitation training program was able to lead to an improvement in walking behavior, total amount of physical exercise, exercise self-efficacy, and better sleep quality. However, no difference in cardiorespiratory fitness or health-related quality of life were detected.
- A study comparing asynchronous telerehabilitation to conventional options showed that the remote setting appeared more effective in patients with Long COVID.
Furthermore, the summary includes four studies focusing on potential treatments for olfactory disorders (loss of smell):
- A small study analyzed topical platelet-rich plasma as a possible treatment for olfactory dysfunction. While the treatment proved to be safe, it only showed a minor effect and further investigation is necessary.
- A randomized clinical trial compared four different treatments for patients with persistent COVID-19-related parosmia and olfactory loss. The study found that ultramicronized palmitoylethanolamide plus luteolin and olfactory training (umPEALUT) showed the largest improvements in a Sniffin' Sticks test of odor threshold, detection, and identification (TDI) followed by a combination of umPEALUT with alpha-lipoic acid. Alpha-lipoic acid plus olfactory training and olfactory training alone did not lead to a significant change.
- A clinical trial assessed the preventive effects of early treatment (during acute COVID-19 disease) with saline nasal irrigation (SNI), corticosteroid nasal spray, and saline or chlorhexidine gluconate mouthwash as an effective strategy to reduce COVID-19-related olfactory and gustatory symptoms.
- A review on “Treatment of Olfactory Disorders After SARS - CoViD 2 Virus Infection” stated that early and consistent olfactory training should be recommended and accompanying topical treatment could be worth consideration.
Two studies that have been published within the last 4 months highlighted the effect of COVID-19 on male sexual health. In a previous blog series, we described the effects Long COVID can have on reproductive health in women, men, and transgender individuals, as well as its general effect on testosterone levels.
The current meta-analyses confirm the effect on male sex hormones, especially testosterone and show that Long COVID may lead to testicular damage.
Moreover, new insights on the prevalence of Long COVID and the correlation between Long COVID and comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes have been addressed. See the full list of studies here:
