PERSISTENT OR POST-ACUTE COVID-19: IVERMECTIN TREATMENT FOR PATIENTS WITH PERSISTENT SYMPTOMS

SUMMARY:

INTRODUCTION: It is estimated that between 10 to 45% of people who get sick of COVID-19 will present symptoms after the acute stage of the disease and that these will persist for weeks, developing what is called Persistent or Post-Acute Symptoms of COVID-19. There is no consensus or publication on a specific and effective treatment for these cases. Therefore, an proper diagnosis and treatment for these patients is not currently not been being carried out, and there is a lack of knowledge as to the etiology that causes it.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: In the present study, 33 patients with the clinical diagnosis of Persistent or Post-Acute Symptoms of COVID-19 who were between 4 to 12 weeks from the date of symptom onset and who had 1 to 3 months of symptoms were enrolled. Patients whose main symptoms were muscular system, such as fatigue due to muscle weakness, diminished muscle strength and myalgia (muscle pain) were excluded from the study.

The following protocol was followed: Ivermectin was administered at a dose of 0.2 mg per kilogram of body weight per day was given for 2 days. If patients still had symptoms after the 2 doses, 2 more days of treatment with Ivermectin was given at the same dose. For cases with moderate symptoms, a dose of 0.4 mg per kilogram of body weight was prescribed for 2 days, then continued with 0.2 mg per kilogram of body weight for 2 more days. If a patient continued to have symptoms after the 3rd day of treatment, more Ivermectin doses were indicated and should continue while clinical improvement was observed and until there was no longer a clinical improvement response with treatment.

RESULTS: 33 adult patients with Persistent or Post-Acute Symptoms of COVID-19 were treated with Ivermectin. In 94% of the 33 patients treated with Ivermectin clinical improvement was observed to some degree (partial or total) after the 2 doses of Ivermectin. Complete clinical improvement was observed (total, without symptoms) in 87.9% of patients after the 2 doses of Ivermectin. In the 12.1% of patients whom did not have resolution of the symptoms with the first 2 doses, additional doses of treatment with Ivermectin was provided per protocol, with final clinical resolution of symptoms seen in 94% of cases.

CONCLUSION: The result of the present study demonstrates that clinical improvement is seen in a high percentage of patients with Persistent or Post-Acute Symptoms of COVID-19 who had been treated with Ivermectin.

Given the high number of patients with Persistent Symptoms of COVID-19 and who have not been receiving effective treatment, we recommend conducting further clinical studies on the use of Ivermectin and other drugs to reduce the viral load for these cases.

Key Words: Long hauler, Long COVID, COVID Long term, Persistent Symptoms, Long Term COVID, Persistent COVID-19, Post-acute COVID-19, Prolonged COVID-19, Subacute COVID-19, Chronic COVID-19, Post-COVID Syndrome, Post-Viral Fatigue, Ivermectin.