A groundbreaking study conducted at the Chinese University of Hong Kong has brought new hope for patients suffering from long COVID, also known as post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS).
The study, published on December 7 in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, focuses on the synbiotic drug SIM01, a novel treatment combining probiotics and prebiotics aimed at modifying the gut microbiome and immune response.
The trial involved 463 adult patients with long COVID at a single hospital in Hong Kong.
From June 2021 to August 2022, participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either SIM01 or a vitamin C placebo orally, twice daily for six months. The median time from infection to the start of the trial was four months.
Researchers assessed participants’ symptoms, quality of life, and physical activity at the beginning and end of the trial.
They also used questionnaires and collected blood and fecal samples to analyze changes in gut microbiome and blood cytokines.
The study’s results were promising. Patients who received SIM01 showed significant improvement in various symptoms, including fatigue, memory loss, difficulty concentrating, gastrointestinal upset, and general unwellness, compared to those who received the placebo.
The benefits ranged from 30% to 62% across these symptoms.
Interestingly, the study found that the gut microbiome of SIM01 recipients became more diverse, with an increase in short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria and a decrease in genes related to antibiotic resistance.
This change correlated with the alleviation of specific long COVID symptoms. For example, an increase in Bifidobacterium adolescentis was linked to reduced fatigue, gastrointestinal upset, and memory loss.
Despite these positive results, the study did have limitations. The lack of a universally accepted tool for assessing long COVID symptoms and reliance on subjective reports made it challenging to interpret some findings.
Furthermore, while SIM01 alleviated certain symptoms, it did not significantly improve overall quality of life or physical activity levels after six months.
Commentators Betty Raman and Maheshi Ramasamy from the University of Oxford highlighted the emerging evidence of the gut microbiome’s role in long COVID.
They noted that while the study shows symptom alleviation, the real impact on general health perception and functional capacity might be limited.
In conclusion, the SIM01 therapy offers a new approach to managing PACS through gut microbiome modulation.
While the results are encouraging, further research is necessary to fully understand the treatment’s benefits in chronic or post-infection conditions. This study represents an important step in addressing the complex challenges of long COVID.
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The research findings can be found in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
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