Lithium Aspartate Ineffective in Reducing Post-COVID-19 Fatigue and Cognitive Dysfunction at Standard Doses
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Reviewed & Translated by Dat Tien Nguyen, B.A, ScM.
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Posted on November 1st, 2024
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Lithium is a widely used treatment for bipolar disorder, known for its neuroprotective effects through the suppression of inflammation mediated by astrocytes and microglia. Positron emission tomography (PET) scans of patients suffering from post-COVID-19 fatigue and cognitive dysfunction have revealed persistent brain inflammation. In response, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded a study to investigate the potential of lithium in managing neurological complications associated with post-COVID-19 conditions.
The clinical trial involved 52 patients who had previously contracted COVID-19 and were experiencing persistent fatigue and/or cognitive dysfunction for at least 4 weeks following the infection. Baseline assessments using the Fatigue Severity Scale-7 (FSS-7) and Brain Fog Severity Scale (BFSS) yielded average scores of around 40 and 35, respectively, with 49 representing the most severe symptoms on both scales. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a placebo or 5 mg of lithium aspartate, administered in capsule form. Patients started with two capsules daily, with the option to increase to three after 10 days if symptoms persisted. After 21 days, the results showed that lithium aspartate did not significantly improve fatigue or cognitive dysfunction, as there was no notable difference in FSS-7 and BFSS scores between the treatment and placebo groups. The researchers suggested that future studies should include a larger sample size and test higher doses of lithium aspartate, as a smaller dose-finding component in the study indicated that those taking 40-45 mg experienced greater symptom improvement than those taking 10-15 mg. However, this dose-finding portion lacked blinding, making it more vulnerable to the placebo effect.
The clinical trial involved 52 patients who had previously contracted COVID-19 and were experiencing persistent fatigue and/or cognitive dysfunction for at least 4 weeks following the infection. Baseline assessments using the Fatigue Severity Scale-7 (FSS-7) and Brain Fog Severity Scale (BFSS) yielded average scores of around 40 and 35, respectively, with 49 representing the most severe symptoms on both scales. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a placebo or 5 mg of lithium aspartate, administered in capsule form. Patients started with two capsules daily, with the option to increase to three after 10 days if symptoms persisted. After 21 days, the results showed that lithium aspartate did not significantly improve fatigue or cognitive dysfunction, as there was no notable difference in FSS-7 and BFSS scores between the treatment and placebo groups. The researchers suggested that future studies should include a larger sample size and test higher doses of lithium aspartate, as a smaller dose-finding component in the study indicated that those taking 40-45 mg experienced greater symptom improvement than those taking 10-15 mg. However, this dose-finding portion lacked blinding, making it more vulnerable to the placebo effect.