- A large retrospective cohort study found significant healthcare cost increases for Long COVID over five years. The study was shared as a preprint in medRxiv and included the records of over 143,000 people. Researchers found that people with Long COVID used healthcare significantly more than those without the disease, and usage increased over time. Over five years, total costs for people with Long COVID were $7,124 higher per person than those without. The authors concluded that their findings suggest “Long COVID behaves as a chronic, progressive condition with accumulating healthcare needs, rather than a post-acute state with resolving symptoms.”
- A South Korean clinical trial evaluated metformin and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) for Long COVID, but didn’t find either effective. The randomized trial of nearly 400 people assessed metformin and UDCA, the latter of which is used to treat gallstones and liver disease, for 14 days each. The study included many limitations, including a potential bias toward very “mild” cases that “recovered” in the placebo group within 8 weeks. Still, the authors found a link between resolving immune system dysregulation and symptoms improving. They concluded further trials should evaluate drugs for immune dysregulation specific to the disease. Read more about research into metformin for prevention and treatment in last year’s feature.
- Two recent preprints share additional analysis from clinical trials seeking to address viral persistence. One shares details from Yale University’s Paxlovid trial; researchers found that the COVID-19 antiviral did not meaningfully improve biological markers of Long COVID after a 15-day course of the drug. The second shares details from the University of California, San Francisco’s trial of the COVID-19 monoclonal antibody AER002; researchers found that participants with higher levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies when the trial started were more likely to experience improved symptoms. Neither trial specifically focused on recruiting people with evidence of viral persistence. Read more about viral persistence trials in this feature by Betsy.
