Treatment of Long-Haul COVID Patients With Off-Label Acyclovir, 2023, Emily R German et al

[Mij]

Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) became a global pandemic in March 2020. This novel, highly infectious virus caused millions of infections and deaths around the world. Currently, there are few medications that are available for the treatment of COVID-19. Those affected are most commonly given supportive care, with some experiencing symptoms for months.

We report a series of four cases depicting the successful use of acyclovir in the treatment of the virus SARS-CoV-2 in patients with long-haul symptoms, especially those in the realm of encephalopathy and neurological problems. Treatment with acyclovir in these patients resolved their symptoms and lowered their IgG and IgM titers, supporting the use of acyclovir as a safe and effective treatment for COVID-19 neurologic symptoms.

We suggest the use of the antiviral medication, acyclovir, as a treatment for patients with long-term symptoms and unusual presentations of the virus, such as encephalopathy or coagulopathy.

https://www.cureus.com/articles/128...ul-covid-patients-with-off-label-acyclovir#!/

 

[Hutan]

Here's a taste of the case studies:

Patient D is a 38-year-old female who presented to a psychiatry office in 2021 and was diagnosed with anxiety, depression, dissociative disorder, functional neurological disorder, and unspecified abnormal involuntary movement disorder. The patient reported having sensory overstimulation episodes triggering a dissociative disorder with trance-like episodes. The patient had an older sister and mother who lived in the area, and she was married and had two daughters. She worked at a wholesale store and had a good support system in the area.

In late February 2021, the patient acquired a COVID-19 infection and complained of experiencing intense body heat, without sweating, needing four fans in the bedroom to help alleviate symptoms. She was started on 400 mg of acyclovir BID and continued taking it until December 2021. After 10 months of this treatment regimen, she was in remission. The patient did not experience any other multi-system effects from the virus.

We report a series of four cases depicting the successful use of acyclovir in the treatment of the virus SARS-CoV-2 in patients with long-haul symptoms, especially those in the realm of encephalopathy and neurological problems. Treatment with acyclovir in these patients resolved their symptoms and lowered their IgG and IgM titers, supporting the use of acyclovir as a safe and effective treatment for COVID-19 neurologic symptoms.

I find the certainty in the abstract really remarkable. Just maybe acyclovir in the early stages of an infection might reduce ongoing symptoms. But, there's really nothing here to suggest that anything is going on but resolution of symptoms over time.

There must be a problem in the way physicians are taught, that so many of them end up leaping to the conclusion that the treatments that they have identified make a material difference, despite the lack of evidence.

This paper was supposedly peer reviewed. Not only does it present leaps of logic, but there are still typos.

This is not on condition but a range with variable risks and outcomes.

 

[Hubris]

With every passing year the standards in medicine keep getting worse. How is that even possible? I can't think of another field where professionals are so apathetic that they don't care at all about improving and keep spiraling down. Some professions change for the worse, but medicine did not even truly change, it just keeps becoming more and more decadent. Sometimes i wonder if doctors like to call everyone mentally ill simply because they are projecting.