Abstract
BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to affect the globe. After 18 months of the SARS-CoV-2 emergence, clinicians have clearly defined a subgroup of patients with lasting, disabling symptoms. While big strides have been made in understanding the acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the pathophysiology of long COVID is still largely unknown, and evidence-based, effective treatments for this condition remain unavailable.ObjectivesTo evaluate the efficacy of 10 mg oral montelukast every 24 h versus placebo in improving quality of life associated with mild to moderate respiratory symptoms in patients with long COVID as measured with the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) questionnaire. The secondary objectives will evaluate the effect of montelukast versus placebo on improving exercise capacity, COVID-19 symptoms (asthenia, headache, mental confusion or brain fog, ageusia, and anosmia), oxygen desaturation during exertion, functional status, and mortality.Methods and analysisPhase III, randomized, double-blind clinical trial. We will include 18- to 80-year-old patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection and mild to moderate respiratory symptoms lasting more than 4 weeks. Participants will be randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to the intervention (experimental treatment with 10 mg/day montelukast) or the control group (placebo group), during a 28-day treatment. Follow-up will finish 56 days after the start of treatment. The primary outcome will be health-related quality of life associated with respiratory symptoms according to the COPD Assessment Test 4 weeks after starting the treatment. The following are the secondary outcomes: (a) exercise capacity and oxygen saturation (1-min sit-to-stand test); (b) Post-COVID-19 Functional Status Scale; (c) other symptoms: asthenia, headache, mental confusion (brain fog), ageusia, and anosmia (Likert scale); (d) use of healthcare resources; (e) mortality; (f) sick leave duration in days; and (g) side effects of montelukast.Ethics and disseminationThis study has been approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of the IDIAPJGol (reference number 21/091-C). The trial results will be published in open access, peer-reviewed journals and explained in webinars to increase awareness and understanding about long COVID among primary health professionals.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.govNCT04695704. Registered on January 5, 2021. EudraCT number 2021-000605-24. Prospectively registered.
Highlights
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to affect the globe
The main objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of 4 weeks of treatment with 10 mg/day of oral montelukast versus placebo in improving the healthrelated quality of life associated with mild to moderate respiratory symptoms in patients with long COVID as measured by the Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Assessment Test (CAT) questionnaire [29]
The main goal of this study is to demonstrate the efficacy of montelukast, a previously approved and commercialized drug, in reducing dyspnea and other persistent symptoms in patients with long COVID
Summary
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to affect the globe. After 18 months of the SARS-CoV-2 emergence, clinicians have clearly defined a subgroup of patients with lasting, disabling symptoms. While big strides have been made in understanding the acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the pathophysiology of long COVID is still largely unknown, and evidence-based, effective treatments for this condition remain unavailable. In patients with mild to moderate symptoms and severe to critical coronavirus disease, full recovery might take up to 2 and 3–6 weeks from the onset of symptoms, respectively [2]. A few months into the pandemic, it was observed that in some patients, symptoms persisted for more than 4 weeks. The probability of developing long COVID does not seem to be related to the severity of the acute phase or to some of the risk factors associated with poor prognosis (male sex, older age, and comorbidities) [6]
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