Written by: Chumeng Wang Edited by: Esther Melamed Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers and clinicians have sought to determine predispositions that may put individuals at higher risk for severe disease. As the virus spread and information became available about typical recovery times, more questions arose as some patients reported symptoms of Long COVID, or Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), in which symptoms like fatigue, headache, and smell/taste changes can persist for weeks-months after initial infection not only in those who had been hospitalized, but also …
The Cautionary Tale of Ivermectin: Consequences of Flawed Research
Written by: Akshara Ramasamy Edited by: Esther Melamed The global desire for COVID-19 preventive and therapeutic treatment options has resulted in a demand for both randomized clinical studies and systematic analysis of such studies. However, this high demand for information has also led to data presentation/publications of varying quality via publication channels that may or may not be peer-reviewed and that may lack rigorous study design. The use of ivermectin for the treatment of COVID-19, a medication with a proven safety and effectiveness record in a variety of parasitic disorders …
ACTIV-4 Preliminary Results Demonstrate Efficacy of Blood Thinners in Severe COVID-19 Patients
Written by: Cole Maguire Edited by: Esther Melamed Throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been recognized that a number of pressing secondary pathologies often develop in patients with severe COVID-19 disease. One of these secondary pathologies is COVID Associated Coagulopathy (CAC), which results in an over-abundance of clotting in the body and can contribute to strokes, heart attacks, and deep vein thrombosis. In order to combat this clotting, blood thinners, such as heparin are being tested in several trials, including ACTIV-4, REMAP-CAP, and ATTACC, to evaluate whether …