[Correction of mitochondrial dysfunction in the complex rehabilitation of COVID-19]

Interventions to support mental health in people with long COVID: a scoping review

INTRODUCTION

Long COVID (LC) is a multisystem disease with symptoms lasting weeks or months beyond the acute COVID-19 infection. Several manifestations are reported by people with LC, including effects on mental health, with varying degrees of psychological distress and disturbances to daily activities. Research conducted to identify effective interventions to support mental health among people with LC has been limited by the breadth and scope of studies.

AIM

This review aims to identify interventions being tested to support mental health of people with LC.

METHODS

A scoping review was conducted by searching five databases for articles published between January 2020 and early October 2022 to identify research evaluating interventions focused on improving mental health symptoms associated with LC. Results from all sources were checked for eligibility by two reviewers, and agreements were resolved by discussion. Gray literature and reference list of included studies and relevant reviews were scrutinised to identify any additional studies. Data extraction was conducted by one reviewer and checked by another reviewer for accuracy.

RESULTS

Of the 940 studies identified, 17 were included, the design of which varied but included mainly case studies (n = 6) and clinical trials (n = 5). Several interventions were described, ranging from single interventions (e.g., pharmacologic) to more holistic, comprehensive suites of services (pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic). Several mental health outcomes were measured, mostly anxiety and depression. All included studies were reported to be associated with improvements in participants' mental health outcomes.

CONCLUSION

This scoping review identified studies reporting on a variety of interventions to support mental health among people with LC. Although positive changes were reported by all studies, some were case studies and thus their findings must be interpreted with caution. There is a need for more research to be conducted to identify the impact of interventions on mental health of people with LC.

[Asthenic post-COVID syndrome]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of combination therapy for post-COVID asthenic syndrome with multicomponent bioregulatory drugs Traumeel S, Ubichinon compositum and Coenzyme compositum.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study included 104 patients (averaged age 39.5 [30.8; 48] years) after COVID-19, clinically recovered from an acute infectious process, with asthenic syndrome lasting from 2 weeks to 6 months; the severity of asthenic syndrome on the asthenia VAS scale was at least 30 points. Before the start of the study, in addition to a physical examination, the patient's condition was assessed using the following questionnaires and scales: VAS for asthenia, subjective scale for assessing asthenia (MFI-20), L.D. Malkova, a questionnaire for the quality of life (EQ-5D), a questionnaire for identifying signs of autonomic disorders (Vayne A.M.). The patient's condition was monitored during follow-up visits 2 weeks, 1 month after the start of treatment and 1 month after the end of treatment. Patients of the main group received combination therapy, which included Traumeel S 1 tablet x 3 times a day, Ubichinone compositum and Coenzyme compositum 2.2 ml intramuscularly, alternating every other day, for 1 month (15 injections of each drug per course of treatment). Patients of the comparison group received eleutherococcus extract 100 mg during 30 days, 2 tablets x 2 times a day before mealsand vitamins B. The effectiveness of therapy was assessed by analysis of the asthenia severity (VAS scale), quality of life (EQ-5D questionnaire), patient satisfaction with treatment on a 5-point scale, which was carried out 1 month after the end of the course of treatment.

RESULTS

As a result of the treatment was positive. The general asthenia severity, low activity and motivation significantly decreased in patients of both groups without significant differences. At the same time, in patients of the comparison group, there was no correlation between the quality of life and physical and mental asthenia, while in the main group there was an inverse correlation with the asthenia severity, which indicates an increase in the quality of life with a decrease in the severity of asthenia. One of the significant differences was the regression of headache and musculoskeletal pain in patients of the main group.

CONCLUSION

The advantage of combined therapy of post-COVID asthenic syndrome with bioregulation therapy Traumeel S, Ubichinone compositum and Coenzyme compositum was shown in comparison with one of the common treatment regimens, including eleutherococcus extract and combined preparations of B vitamins.

[The successful use of Cytoflavin in the patient with postaveny syndrome]

A clinical observation of the use of Cytoflavin according to a two-stage scheme (10.0 ml intravenously drip per 200 ml of 0.9% sodium chloride solution for 10 days, followed by a transition to a tablet form of 2 tablets 2 times/day for 25 days) in a patient with postcovid syndrome with pronounced vegetative and neurocognitive disorders. The effectiveness of therapy was confirmed by an improvement in heart rate variability and a decrease in the severity of depression, anxiety (on the HADS scale) and the level of autonomic dysfunction (on the COMPASS-31 scale). The significant changes in levels of fatigue (on a scale MFI) is not marked. The obtained results can serve as a basis for further research.