Hi everyone,
Big Announcement:
Happy to announce I am starting another free newsletter (in addition to the Long Covid Weekly)! It will be called "Biotech Buzz" and can be found here. It will be a cutting-edge newsletter designed to keep you informed and inspired by the latest developments in the fast-paced world of biotechnology! From revolutionary gene-editing techniques like CRISPR to groundbreaking advances in personalized medicine, the biotech industry promises to tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our time, including chronic illness, climate change, food security, and the fight against life-threatening diseases. I think people who read this newsletter might be interested. It will be a twice-a-week newsletter.
Also, given the changes to Twitter, I am starting a personal Twitter Account, here. I will still be posting on the LC Weekly Twitter, but my personal account will be my main point of contact on Twitter.
In this week’s newsletter, we will be going over several articles. One includes an initiative to study tissue samples from patients with conditions including Long COVID, relapsed Lyme disease, and me/cfs. We will look at research that explores the potential links between COVID-19 and neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease. There is hope for the development of effective treatments, as evidenced by a Phase II randomized controlled trial exploring the use of an oral galectin inhibitor, PL-M, in reducing viral loads and promoting viral clearance in COVID-19 patients. However, the complexities of Long COVID and the skepticism faced by some patients underscore the need for ongoing research, advocacy, and compassionate care to address the multifaceted needs of those living with this condition.
Media
Long COVID: Incidence, Impacts, And Implications
The reality of the current public health situation is that this now-endemic virus has the capability to indiscriminately and perhaps permanently disable up to 20 percent of the people it infects
To treat this shadow pandemic, we need a renewed commitment to precision and personalized medicine.
Although we still have much to learn, a simple way to conceptualize the vast diversity of Long COVID diagnoses is to start by differentiating between those who have symptoms related to observable organ system damage using mainstream clinical evaluations and those who do not.
What are the Drivers of Chronic Infectious Disease?
$1 million grant from the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation will launch a UC San Diego-led national effort to more deeply study tissue samples from patients with conditions ranging from Long COVID and relapsed Lyme disease to chronic fatigue syndrome
Infectious diseases are a historical scourge, and while some are now mitigated by vaccines and other treatments, many remain resistant to treatment or newly emerged
The long-term vision is to develop methods that can be used to more deeply delve into tissue samples of patients with other chronic diseases that are tied to persistent pathogens or infectious processes
My Take: This article highlights the ongoing efforts to better understand the underlying mechanisms of chronic infectious diseases, including Long COVID. Greater understanding of these diseases can lead to more effective treatments and prevention strategies.
Long COVID and heart issues: What do we know about lingering symptoms — and treatment?
Cardiac tests come back as normal for some Long COVID patients experiencing heart issues.
People experiencing Long COVID are more than twice as likely to develop cardiovascular problems
POTS, a debilitating heart condition, may increase in people after getting infected with COVID-19
Treva Taylor, a former hospital administrator in Brooklyn, experienced lingering symptoms of COVID-19 even after surviving six weeks in the ICU two years ago
She receives support from physicians and nurses at NYU Langone’s Post-COVID Care Program and pulmonary rehab team at Rusk Rehabilitation at NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn
Taylor continues to advocate for others and has testified about her struggle to obtain Social Security disability benefits for people with Long COVID
Research
Long COVID exercise trials proposed by NIH raise alarm
Advocates are concerned about the inclusion of exercise trials in the RECOVER initiative, which aims to study and find treatments for long COVID, as many people with long COVID experience post-exertional malaise (PEM) and worry that exercise trials could cause harm
Advocates want to review the RECOVER exercise protocols because they are concerned that trial participants will not be adequately informed about potential risks, screened for PEM, or sufficiently monitored for harm
The NIH has stated that they are working with patient representatives to shape the exercise trial protocol and assure safety, but patient advocates still worry that the exercise trials are a waste of time and money
My Take: This article emphasizes the need for careful consideration of patient safety and the importance of incorporating patient feedback in research initiatives, glad to see the collaboration between all parties.
chronic cough is one of the most prevalent symptoms of post-COVID syndrome and carries both a medical problem and a social stigma
studies suggest the existence of postviral vagus nerve neuropathy after SARS-Co V-2 infection that could explain chronic cough in post-COVID syndrome
All included patients presented with persistent chronic cough after 12 weeks of the acute phase of COVID-19 infection 81.6% suffered from other post-COVID conditions, such as dysphonia, globus pharyngis, laryngospasm, and odynophagia, with many also experiencing neurological, dysautonomic, respiratory, and musculoskeletal disorders
Important Definitions:
p53 protein: A tumor suppressor protein involved in cell cycle regulation, DNA repair, and programmed cell death (apoptosis).
The virus can disarm the cell from its defense mechanisms capable of counteracting viral infection, such as programmed cell death, leading to a severe inflammatory status, with pro-inflammatory cytokine release and reduced interferon response, which is the typical fingerprint of an uncontrolled spread of the virus into the body
One of the targets of the virus that plays an important role both in the mechanisms of innate immunity and in the control of the cell cycle and other pathways that regulate cell replication, damage repair, apoptosis and metabolism is the p53 protein
the upregulation of p53 levels .. can be the key for lowering the inflammation status of the severe form of the infection
we demonstrated that p53 can “extinguish the fire” induced upon NF-k B expression under SARS-Co V-2 infection
Implied networks of nuclear and mitochondrial genes are linked to findings like brain fog, fatigue, and frailty in EDS, their similarity to long COVID19 supporting shared therapies for disorders
The frequency and timing of long COVID19 symptoms, like those of EDS, are highly variable
Autonomic dysfunction is a unifying theme as demonstrated by measures of orthostatic intolerance and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome
The shared genes modulating COVID19 susceptibility prompted analysis that could foster application of proven therapies to a novel and globally escalating disorder
My Take: This is one of the most promising research areas, very excited to see what this leads too!
Revisiting the infectious hypothesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has gained major relevance. Under this hypothesis, the root cause of AD is a pathogen that triggers an immune reaction involving amyloid-β (Aβ) as an antimicrobial agent.
Although no consensus exists on how an infectious pathogen can explain the pathological features of AD, the most accepted view holds that proinflammatory cytokines produced by innate immunity during an infection promote an inflammatory process, increasing amyloid-beta synthesis and accumulation.
These researchers highlight the physiological role of Aβ as “an ancient, highly conserved effector molecule of innate immunity with antimicrobial properties”
Although undesirable, the COVID pandemic will indeed allow scientists to explore the infectious hypothesis prospectively in a wide population. We will also be able to test preventive interventional strategies aimed at promoting synaptic plasticity that may overcome COVID-induced brain damage within an appropriate time window to delay late-onset AD.
Long COVID? What is that? - The Lancet Respiratory Medicine
people do not believe long COVID is real
People might not have had severe symptoms when infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus, they might be young, without a significant medical history or risk factors
For Matthew, accepting his condition is a mental challenge, with the added anxiety of not knowing when, or if, he might feel like himself again
“It has been really good to connect with people who are willing to put effort into understanding how you feel. So that's probably one of the good things to come out of this—developing deeper relationships with people I wasn't so close to prior to being sick.”
Hope
An Oral Galectin Inhibitor in COVID-19—A Phase II Randomized Controlled Trial
Important Definitions:
Galectin-3 (Gal-3): A protein involved in various cellular processes, including cell growth, differentiation, and inflammation. It has been implicated in the entry and attachment of viruses to host cells.
Effective inhibitor of galectin-3 (Gal-3) could be used to treat and prevent the transmission of COVID-19
PL-M, a Gal-3 antagonist, is safe and effective for clinical use in reducing viral loads and promoting rapid viral clearance in COVID-19 patients by inhibiting SARS-Co V-2 entry into cells through the inhibition of Gal-3
Gal-3 is abundantly expressed during viral infections, regulating viral entry and attachment, as well as mediating a number of detrimental consequences, including inflammatory responses
Long Covid Weekly, please try Spoutible! Now to check out BioTech. Much appreciate your writing...
Question that relates to Post-Covid x Long-haul air travel. Is it safe to board a plane when suffering from long/post COVID? What should be taken into consideration? Thanks a lot!