The Covid-19 virus can leave people with persistent symptoms, known as Long Covid, with fatigue as one of its most disabling effects. New international trial results published in Frontiers of Rehabilitation Science show that fluvoxamine which is a widely used antidepressant significantly reduces fatigue in affected patients, pointing to a possible new treatment direction. Persistent fatigue impacts quality of life as your ability to function throughout the day gets hampered. In order to reduce the way extreme tiredness or exhaustion can affect you after a Covid infection, a new study's findings show positive results when a common antidepressant is used. India faces an increasing burden of long Covid, which is what has motivated research studies and reviews to come up with new treatment avenues.

What Is Long Covid Fatigue?

Long Covid fatigue refers to extreme tiredness that lasts for weeks or months after infection has occurred. This type of fatigue can surface even after a restful sleep cycle and pose difficulties in returning to work or daily activities. Brain fog and reduced concentration can be a byproduct of long Covid fatigue that often occurs alongside tiredness. Long Covid needs a complex treatment option, but specifically for fatigue, fluvoxamine may prove promising.

What Did The New Study Find?

The new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine was conducted on 399 adults with persistent long-term Covid fatigue with symptoms lasting 90 days after a Covid infection. In this placebo-controlled trial, those who took fluvoxamine experienced less fatigue and performed better. The quality of life of those affected showed a positive impact on their overall lives. The effectiveness of the medication was 99% higher than that of the placebo.

The participants of the study were divided into three groups; one of them received fluvoxamine, another received metformin (a common diabetes medication), and a placebo for 60 days.

The distinction between the effects among the three groups formed the basis of the study findings.

"This is an important step forward for patients who have been desperate for evidence-based options," says Edward Mills, senior author, professor in McMaster's Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, and co-principal investigator of the trial.

He adds, "Fluvoxamine showed consistent and meaningful benefits, and because it's already widely used and well understood, it has clear potential for clinical use."

What Is Fluvoxamine?

A commonly prescribed medication for depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The medicine was administered to a group called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). The best part of this course of treatment is that the medication is already widely available and relatively inexpensive.

Why Might Fluvoxamine Help Long Covid Fatigue?

Researchers of the study found that the medication could lower internal inflammation, alongside affecting the pathways linked to persistent Covid symptoms. It can also lower biological processes linked to long-term Covid symptoms.

What About Metformin?

Metformin is another medication that was examined by researchers. But it did not perform at improving fatigue symptoms in the trial. Previously, it was recorded that during the initial stage of a Covid infection, the medication could lower the risk of developing long Covid.

What Does This Mean For Patients?

Over 65 million people worldwide experience long Covid, who need effective treatment options for the same. These patients who suffer from fatigue can experience some positive impact. But further research is needed to test its safety. Medical supervision is necessary as the response to your body can vary.

Possible treatment options should be discussed by your primary care physician.

Currently, treatment options for long Covid are focused on the management of multiple symptoms. But for fatigue, this medication could prove effective mostly.

Signs You May Have Long Covid Fatigue

Long Covid fatigue can be visible via the signs of:

  • Extreme tiredness
  • Brain fog
  • Poor concentration
  • Reduced exercise tolerance
  • Sleep disturbances
  • Difficulty performing daily activities

Long Covid fatigue needs to be tackled by formulating a medical treatment option that weighs the benefits and side effects. Medications such as fluvoxamine can help if further clinical evidence of the same is necessary.



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