Purpose
To find out what is known from literature about Long COVID until January 30, 2021.
Methods
We undertook a four-step search with no language restriction. A preliminary search was made to identify the keywords. A search strategy of all electronic databases resulted in 66 eligible studies. A forward and backward search of the references and citations resulted in additional 54 publications. Non-English language articles were translated using Google Translate. We conducted our scoping review based on the PRISMA-ScR Checklist.
Results
Of 120 papers, we found only one randomized clinical trial. Of the 67 original studies, 22 were cohort, and 28 were cross-sectional studies. Of the total 120 publications, 49.1% focused on signs and symptoms, 23.3% on management, and 10.8% on pathophysiology. Ten publications focused on imaging studies. The results are also presented extensively in a narrative synthesis in separated sections (nomenclature, diagnosis, pathophysiology, risk factors, signs/symptoms, management).
Conclusions
The controversies in its definition have impaired proper recognition and management. The predominant symptoms were: fatigue, breathlessness, arthralgia, sleep difficulties, and chest pain. Recent reports also point to the risk of long-term sequela with cutaneous, respiratory, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, mental health, neurologic, and renal involvement in those who survive the acute phase of the illness.
Supplementary Information
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s15010-021-01666-x.
Short-term turmeric supplementation can attenuate proteinuria, TGF-β and IL-8 in patients with overt type 2 diabetic nephropathy and can be administered as a safe adjuvant therapy for these patients.
This study demonstrates the possible efficacy of turmeric in decreasing hs-CRP and uremic pruritus in end stage renal disease patients. Future studies are needed to further evaluate the efficacy and safety of turmeric.
Since the first emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), also known as novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 (Tan et al., 2020), the virus has spread rapidly worldwide and, therefore, has been officially declared a pandemic outbreak with more than 10 million confirmed cases and 499,000 deaths according to the WHO report (Situation Report, 2020). Pneumonia with fever seems to be the most common presentation of SARS-CoV-2 infection (Guan et al., 2020; Wang, Hu et al., 2020). SARS-CoV-2 was also detected in specimens of faeces and a small percentage of blood and urine
Oxidative stress is considered as a major player in uremia-associated morbidity and mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of turmeric on oxidative stress markers in HD patients. This study was a prospective and double-blind randomized clinical trial. Fifty HD patients aged 18-60 years were recruited after fulfilling the inclusion criteria. Patients were randomly categorized into 2 groups: trial group received turmeric and control group received placebo for 8 weeks. Each patient in the trial group received turmeric, whereas the control group received starch for the same 8 weeks. Plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), red blood cell (RBC) antioxidant enzyme activities as glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione reductase (GR), and catalase (CAT), cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, triglyceride, albumin, and hemoglobin were also measured before and after study. Although MDA level was reduced in both groups, the ratio of decrease was significantly higher in the turmeric group (0.2 vs. 0.1, P = 0.040). Three enzymes of GPX, GR, and CAT levels were increased in both groups; the ratio of increased was significantly higher in the turmeric group for the CAT enzyme (0.73 vs. 0.54; P = 0.02). Also, significant elevation of albumin level in the turmeric group compared with the control group was observed (P = 0.001). Regular ingestion of turmeric reduces plasma MDA and increases RBC CAT activity and plasma albumin levels in HD patients. Turmeric showed no adverse effects.
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