List of the Hypothesis:Primary hypothesis: A flexible acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine protocol will befeasible, acceptable, and useful for the treatment of long COVID.Secondary hypothesis: Long COVID patients receiving acupuncture treatment or acupuncturetreatment and Chinese herbal supplements over an 8-week period will see improvements intheir symptoms, function, and quality of life measurements.Specific Aims of This Research (Purpose of the study):To study the feasibility, acceptability and utility of an acupuncture and Chinese herbalsupplement treatment protocol for patients with long COVID and preliminarily assess theeffects of treatment.Currently Available Research on This Subject:Studies indicate that acupuncture can effectively treat symptoms that are similar tothose often seen in long COVID patients. Additionally, recent studies and clinicalevidence suggest that there is substantial potential for acupuncture in the treatment oflong COVID. Acupuncture may be beneficial because it can address many symptomssimultaneously with a single intervention, whereas symptom clusters can be difficult tomanage with pharmaceuticals due to the need for multiple pharmaceutical agents.Summary of the research protocol/methodology:Five patients will receive acupuncture treatment, and five patients will receiveacupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. Each participant will receive 16 acupuncturetreatments over the course of eight weeks (i.e., twice per week). Each treatment sessionwill last for 30 minutes. Follow-up will occur at 12 weeks (i.e., four weeks after thefinal treatment session).Significance of this research to the health and welfare of general public:There is currently not a single, specific treatment for long COVID. If acupuncturetreatment alone and/or acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine combined are feasible,acceptable, and efficacious in the improvement of long COVID symptoms, it will offerpatients additional treatment options, which may help some patients to avoidpharmaceutical treatment side effects or polypharmacy challenges.
Not Provided
Procedure: Acupuncture
The investigators have developed a list of core acupoints, which will be used by all
clinicians for each specific TCM diagnosis pattern identified in each patient. Similarly,
a list of common herbal formulas, that we will keep in stock based on the specific
diagnosis patterns, has been developed. Clinicians will have the option of using
additional acupoints as necessary and will be asked to record and explain any variations
from the core protocol.
1. Residual Heat: LI-11, KI-6;Bai He Gu Jin Tang
2. Residual Phlegm: ST-40, Sp-9;Ban Xia Bai Zhu Tian Ma Tang,Er Chen Tang
3. Deficiency of Spleen: SP-3, ST-36;Gui Pi Tang,Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang
4. Lung Qi Deficiency with Dampness: LU-9, LU-7;Zhi Sou San,Er Chen Tang
5. Blood Stagnation: SP-10, SP-6;Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang,Tao Hong Si Wu Tang
6. Deficiency of Lung: LU-9, LU-7; Bu Fei Tang
7. Liver Qi Stagnation: LV-3, PC-6;Xiao Yao San, Chai Hu Shu Gan Tang
8. Yin Deficiency: KI-6, SP-6;Liu Wei Di Huang Wan
9. Deficiency of Kidney: KI-3, KI-6;
Inclusion Criteria:
- 18 years of age or older
- We will include adults of any age in our study. Adults of all ages can
experience long COVID symptoms, although it is more common in older adults
• Confirmed and documented COVID-19 illness (confirmed by healthcare provider
or test; acceptable documentation includes but is not limited to a doctor's
note or a photo of test result)
- COVID-19 illness is a necessary precursor to the development of long COVID
• Experiencing at least one of the following common long COVID symptoms for at
least 4 weeks after confirmed COVID-19 illness:
- Fatigue or post-exertional malaise,
- Dyspnea, cough,
- Brain fog, sleep disturbance, depression, anxiety,
- Arthralgia, myalgia, or
- Constipation, diarrhea, stomach pain
- Over 200 different long COVID symptoms have been identified. The proposed study is a
small pragmatic pilot study which only plans to enroll 10 participants. It is
necessary to limit inclusion to some of the most common symptoms to ensure that the
findings are broadly relevant across the long COVID patient population.
- The symptoms were not present prior to the confirmed COVID-19 illness
o If the symptoms were present prior to the confirmed COVID-19 illness, then
they are most likely attributable to a cause other than long COVID
- Willingness to comply with the treatment schedule
o It is important that all those who qualify for the study are willing to
comply with the protocol that is being adopted. If the patient is not willing
to attend acupuncture treatment sessions or comply with the supplement
schedule, then they may not be enrolled in the study.
- Ability to read and understand English o Informed consent will be in the
English language. Inability to read and understand English will interfere with
provision of informed consent. Moreover, compliance is a potential issue with
herbal supplementation. Recruiting patients who are able to read and understand
English instructions for supplement intake will help to improve compliance with
the protocol.
- Ability to provide informed consent o It is important that participants are
aware that they are required to provide written informed consent before they
are allowed to participate. Some individuals who are eligible might be
unwilling to sign the informed consent form.
Exclusion Criteria:
- • Under 18 years of age
- Pulmonary fibrosis or on continuous oxygen treatment
- Certain preexisting conditions:
- Diagnosed with Alzheimer's or demonstrating onset of dementia
- Uncontrolled hypertension, diabetes, or autoimmune conditions
- Other comorbid conditions that might imitate long COVID symptoms
- Undergoing cancer treatments
- Use of acupuncture or Chinese medicine in the past three months
- Involved in health-related litigation or legal claims
- Missing either baseline visit and deemed unlikely to comply with the study
protocol
- Pregnant or breastfeeding or trying to get pregnant
SCUHS
Whittier, California, United States
S. Prasad Vinjamury, MD (Ayurveda) DACM, MPH
562-947-8755 - ext:736
prasad@scuhs.edu
Leah Grout, PhD, MPH
562-902-3365
leahgrout@scuhs.edu
Not Provided