A landmark randomised controlled trial published in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe has delivered sobering news for patients and clinicians seeking immunoadsorption therapy as a treatment for post-COVID syndrome. The German multicentre study, involving 60 adults with persistent COVID-19 symptoms, employed a rigorous crossover design in which participants received both active immunoadsorption treatment and sham procedures in random order.
The results were unambiguous: immunoadsorption provided no significant reduction in symptom burden compared to sham treatment. The therapy, which works by filtering blood to remove antibodies and immune complexes, was theorised to address autoimmune mechanisms potentially underlying long COVID. However, this first rigorous trial challenges that therapeutic rationale and has important implications for clinical treatment protocols.
These findings highlight the critical importance of evidence-based approaches in managing post-COVID syndrome and underscore the need for continued research into effective interventions. Read the full article on GMJ Newsroom.
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📰 Read the full article: Immunoadsorption Shows No Benefit for Long COVID in Randomised Trial →
