Treatment & Prevention of Long Covid: As per the study, researches found that, a 41 per cent reduction in Long Covid rates among people who used metformin at the time of Covid infection.
The trial also saw a 42 per cent reduction in emergency room visits, hospitalizations, or death among Covid-19 patients who started metformin treatment.
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In the Covid-out study, researchers from multiple academic institutions tested the effectiveness of three generic medications--metformin, ivermectin and fluvoxamine--in adults who had been diagnosed with Covid-19 within the last three days. The randomized, quadruple-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial was the first in the country to study whether these medications could prevent severe outcomes and Long Covid.
The trial found that people who took metformin within seven days after the onset of Covid symptoms were 41 per cent less likely to experience Long Covid than those who had placebo--with a 63 per cent reduction if metformin was started within four days.
"The results of this study are important because Long Covid can have a significant impact on people's lives," said principal investigator. "Metformin is an inexpensive, safe and widely available drug, and its use as a preventive measure could have significant public health implications."
Previous data suggested that metformin's anti-inflammatory and anti-infectious properties could treat Covid-19 infection. The antiviral effect was confirmed in a recent analysis of the viral load of Covid-out study participants, which is currently available as a preprint.
Researchers also reported a 3.6-fold decrease in the SARS-CoV-2 virus level in people who received metformin instead of placebo.
This new treatment option is especially important for the approximately one in three patients who cannot take Paxlovid (Pfizer's groundbreaking Covid treatment) because of conflicting medications or health conditions.