Acupoint stimulation for long COVID: A promising intervention

Feng, Bowen; Rong, Peijing

doi:10.1016/j.wjam.2023.05.012

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 119 publications

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“…Previous studies have found that various viruses, such as human immunodeficiency virus, human papillomavirus (HPV), and hepatitis virus, have a certain impact on women’s reproductive health related to menstruation. Research has confirmed [ 12 , 13 ] that the influence of SARS-CoV-2 on the female reproductive system is related to the angiotensin-converting enzyme [ 2 ] (ACE2) receptor, which is expressed in the ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix, and vagina. ACE2 is involved in regulating corpus luteum angiogenesis and deformation, while also affecting regular changes in endometrial tissue.…”

Section: Disscusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Acupuncture has been shown to improve cardiovascular dysfunction, respiratory symptoms, neurological symptoms, digestive system symptoms, endocrine symptoms, and other manifestations in patients with long COVID. [ 2 ] The effect of acupuncture on COVID-19 is multi-targeted, [ 21 ] involving the production of 2 active compounds and the modulation of 180 protein targets. These effects can be summarized as improving lung function, regulating innate immunity, balancing antiinflammatory and pro-inflammatory factors, and activating the vagus nerve-cholinergic pathway through the activation of neuroactive ligand-receptor interactions, cancer pathways, and related signaling pathways, to protect the lungs.…”

Section: Disscusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Approximately 10% to 20% of COVID-19 patients may contract "long COVID," characterized by fatigue, cognitive impairment, muscular pain, and diminished olfactory or gustatory senses. [2] Furthermore, SARS-CoV-2 has a certain impact on the reproductive system, particularly evident in its effects on menstrual health in women. [3] Women are considered to be at high risk of contracting long COVID.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Approximately 10% to 20% of COVID-19 patients may contract “long COVID,” characterized by fatigue, cognitive impairment, muscular pain, and diminished olfactory or gustatory senses. [ 2 ]…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The impact of “long COVID” on menstruation in Chinese female college students and the intervention of acupuncture

Dong,

Ni,

Zhang

et al. 2024

Medicine

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This study aimed to explore the potential application value of acupuncture in alleviating the impact of long COVID on women’s menstrual cycles, by investigating the occurrence of long COVID among female college students, its effects on menstruation, and the intervention of acupuncture. This cross-sectional study surveyed female college students with a history of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) before April 10, 2023. A questionnaire was used to analyze demographic characteristics, post-COVID sequelaes, duration of symptoms, and treatments received during that period. Among the 731 participants enrolled in the survey, 468 were female undergraduate students who met the analysis criteria. Among them, 85 individuals fit the definition of “Long COVID” (18.16%). Within the group of patients with long COVID, 69 individuals experienced changes in their overall menstrual patterns compared to the 6 months prior to contracting the novel coronavirus (81.18%). Additionally, 17 individuals opted for acupuncture treatment following the onset of COVID-19 (20.00%), which resulted in less impact on their menstrual cycle (41.18% vs 64.71% without receiving acupuncture, OR = 2.62), menstrual period duration (41.18% vs 64.71%, OR = 2.62), menstrual flow (47.06% vs 69.18%, OR = 2.52), and the color of menstrual blood (41.18% vs 63.24%, OR = 2.46) among these patients. Long COVID had a certain impact on menstruation. Acupuncture potentially alleviates the clinical symptoms of long COVID and reduces its impact on women’s menstrual cycle, thus having potential therapeutic value in the treatment of long COVID.

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Section: Disscusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Disscusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The impact of “long COVID” on menstruation in Chinese female college students and the intervention of acupuncture

Dong,

Ni,

Zhang

et al. 2024

Medicine

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Revisiting the relationship between traditional East Asian medicine and biomedicine: Incorporating the Western into the Eastern

Béres

2024

European Journal of Integrative Medicine

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Precision nutrition to reset virus-induced human metabolic reprogramming and dysregulation (HMRD) in long-COVID

Naidu,

Wang,

Rao

et al. 2024

npj Sci Food

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SARS‐CoV‐2, the etiological agent of COVID-19, is devoid of any metabolic capacity; therefore, it is critical for the viral pathogen to hijack host cellular metabolic machinery for its replication and propagation. This single-stranded RNA virus with a 29.9 kb genome encodes 14 open reading frames (ORFs) and initiates a plethora of virus–host protein–protein interactions in the human body. These extensive viral protein interactions with host-specific cellular targets could trigger severe human metabolic reprogramming/dysregulation (HMRD), a rewiring of sugar-, amino acid-, lipid-, and nucleotide-metabolism(s), as well as altered or impaired bioenergetics, immune dysfunction, and redox imbalance in the body. In the infectious process, the viral pathogen hijacks two major human receptors, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)-2 and/or neuropilin (NRP)-1, for initial adhesion to cell surface; then utilizes two major host proteases, TMPRSS2 and/or furin, to gain cellular entry; and finally employs an endosomal enzyme, cathepsin L (CTSL) for fusogenic release of its viral genome. The virus-induced HMRD results in 5 possible infectious outcomes: asymptomatic, mild, moderate, severe to fatal episodes; while the symptomatic acute COVID-19 condition could manifest into 3 clinical phases: (i) hypoxia and hypoxemia (Warburg effect), (ii) hyperferritinemia (‘cytokine storm’), and (iii) thrombocytosis (coagulopathy). The mean incubation period for COVID-19 onset was estimated to be 5.1 days, and most cases develop symptoms after 14 days. The mean viral clearance times were 24, 30, and 39 days for acute, severe, and ICU-admitted COVID-19 patients, respectively. However, about 25–70% of virus-free COVID-19 survivors continue to sustain virus-induced HMRD and exhibit a wide range of symptoms that are persistent, exacerbated, or new ‘onset’ clinical incidents, collectively termed as post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) or long COVID. PASC patients experience several debilitating clinical condition(s) with >200 different and overlapping symptoms that may last for weeks to months. Chronic PASC is a cumulative outcome of at least 10 different HMRD-related pathophysiological mechanisms involving both virus-derived virulence factors and a multitude of innate host responses. Based on HMRD and virus-free clinical impairments of different human organs/systems, PASC patients can be categorized into 4 different clusters or sub-phenotypes: sub-phenotype-1 (33.8%) with cardiac and renal manifestations; sub-phenotype-2 (32.8%) with respiratory, sleep and anxiety disorders; sub-phenotype-3 (23.4%) with skeleto-muscular and nervous disorders; and sub-phenotype-4 (10.1%) with digestive and pulmonary dysfunctions. This narrative review elucidates the effects of viral hijack on host cellular machinery during SARS-CoV-2 infection, ensuing detrimental effect(s) of virus-induced HMRD on human metabolism, consequential symptomatic clinical implications, and damage to multiple organ systems; as well as chronic pathophysiological sequelae in virus-free PASC patients. We have also provided a few evidence-based, human randomized controlled trial (RCT)-tested, precision nutrients to reset HMRD for health recovery of PASC patients.

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Acupoint stimulation for long COVID: A promising intervention

Cited by 5 publications

References 119 publications

The impact of “long COVID” on menstruation in Chinese female college students and the intervention of acupuncture

The impact of “long COVID” on menstruation in Chinese female college students and the intervention of acupuncture

Revisiting the relationship between traditional East Asian medicine and biomedicine: Incorporating the Western into the Eastern

Precision nutrition to reset virus-induced human metabolic reprogramming and dysregulation (HMRD) in long-COVID

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