[Case Report] Long Covid Patients Successfully Treated by Means of Heparin-Mediated Extracorporeal LDL Precipitation (H.E.L.P.) Apheresis, Jaeger 2023

[leokitten]

https://www.gavinpublishers.com/art...tracorporeal-ldl-precipitation-help-apheresis

Many COVID-19 infected patients develop a chronic state of disease that hinders them for months or even years due to severe persisting pulmonary, neurologic, cardiac, and other deficits. This debilitating condition was coined by patients as ‘Long COVID’, for which there is currently no proven effective treatment. It is increasingly apparent that a key mechanism of COVID-19 infection is a systemic endotheliitis and microembolization which affects various organs. Mounting evidence suggests that the plasma of individuals with acute COVID-19 or Long COVID contains fibrin amyloid-like microclots that are comparatively resistant to fibrinolysis. A biologically plausible explanation links the presence of such fibrin amyloid-like microclots to the blockage of capillaries, with the inhibition of oxygen transport to tissues. This may contribute to many of the Long COVID symptoms such as breathlessness, fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, post-exertional symptom exacerbation, and autonomic dysfunction. Thus, an extracorporeal method such as Heparin-mediated Extracorporeal Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) Precipitation (H.E.L.P.) apheresis that eliminates cholesterol, clotting factors, endotoxins, and inflammatory mediators such as cytokines and tumour necrosis factor-α toxins, could also potentially eliminate the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and fibrin amyloid-like microclots present in Long COVID and consequently restore vascular homeostasis in persisting COVID-19 infection.

We randomly assigned 17 Long COVID patients to receive repeated H.E.L.P. apheresis treatments in short intervals (1-7 sessions) until they recovered from major clinical symptoms. Of these 17 treated patients, 16 patients felt immediate improvement and 12 patients nearly reached full recovery after completion of the treatment. A 6–10-month follow-up revealed that 15 patients maintained their improvements. Thus, of the 17 patients with severe Long COVID symptoms, 16 patients had experienced a great benefit. One patient did not improve, although his oxygen saturation ameliorated. Therefore, H.E.L.P. apheresis serves as a promising and safe treatment option for Long COVID patients. These improvements in symptoms highlight the benefits of H.E.L.P. apheresis as an effective treatment for Long COVID and stresses the urgent need for larger controlled-studies-into-this-treatment.

 

[Trish]

If they were randomly assigned to the treatment, that implies another group were not assigned to the treatment. I see no mention of them in the abstract. Were they a control group?

 

[Jonathan Edwards]

Thus, an extracorporeal method such as Heparin-mediated Extracorporeal Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) Precipitation (H.E.L.P.) apheresis that eliminates cholesterol, clotting factors, endotoxins, and inflammatory mediators such as cytokines and tumour necrosis factor-α toxins, could also potentially eliminate the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and fibrin amyloid-like microclots present in Long COVID and consequently restore vascular homeostasis in persisting COVID-19 infection.

If people want to be taken seriously they should use the language of science rather than quack detox treatment like this. There is no such thing as a 'tumour necrosis factor-a toxin'.

You might as well take a cocktail of ipecac, bleach and castor oil. Clears out the germs nicely.

 

[Trish]

Some quotes:

The group was a combination of self-referred individuals and those referred by their physicians.

So not 'randomly assigned to the treatment'. They were paying customers, not research subjects.

After acute COVID-19, they developed severe symptoms of Long COVID (symptom duration 2-12 months, median 3 months).

So most very short duration of Long Covid, therefore with a high probability of getting better anyway.

Heparin was added to the plasma.

No idea whether this might be relevant to patients feeling better after the apheresis session. They were also given saline, which some pwME say makes them improve temporarily.

The aim of this retrospective study was to treat patients and to establish whether H.E.L.P. apheresis treatment assists in the symptom relief and treatment of Long COVID patients. This was assessed in the form of a questionnaire before and after the patients underwent treatment, and a follow-up with the patients 6-10 months after the last apheresis treatment.

It does seem interesting, in that the vast majority did get a lot better and many returned to work, but so did many without treatment who had Long Covid for a few months.