New breakthroughs in long Covid and chronic pain treatments emerge from latest studies
New breakthroughs in long Covid and chronic pain treatments emerge from latest studies
New breakthroughs in long Covid and chronic pain treatments emerge from latest studies
New research has uncovered potential breakthroughs in treating long Covid and chronic pain. Scientists from MedUni Vienna have identified a biomarker linked to lingering inflammation in Covid-19 survivors. Meanwhile, a separate study suggests a cannabis-based extract could ease persistent back pain without psychoactive effects.
Both findings offer hope for conditions that often lack effective treatments.
A team from MedUni Vienna, alongside Hannover Medical School, tracked 141 Covid-19 survivors over months. Their focus was on acute-phase proteins in the blood, measured at ten weeks and ten months post-infection. The results, published in Frontiers in Immunology (2021), highlighted Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) as a key indicator of long Covid risk. Those with severe infections showed elevated PTX3 levels long after recovery.
Later studies in Journal of Clinical Medicine and The Lancet Respiratory Medicine (2023–2025) reinforced these findings. European and US longitudinal cohorts confirmed PTX3's role in predicting symptom persistence. Italian and UK trials now use it to monitor therapy responses, with phase II trials (as of 2025) testing PTX3-guided anti-inflammatory treatments. However, larger randomised controlled trials remain necessary for full validation.
In a separate development, researchers at ISTA in Klosterneuburg explored pain relief through a non-psychoactive cannabis extract, VER-01. A placebo-controlled study of 820 participants with chronic back pain—lasting over three months—found the extract effective. Yet, users often reported side effects like dizziness, drowsiness, and nausea.
The ISTA team also investigated singlet oxygen, a reactive oxygen form distinct from normal oxygen. Its two negatively charged components spin in opposite directions, making it highly unstable. In acidic conditions, it forms more readily and can damage living cells or even degrade electrical batteries.
The PTX3 biomarker could help doctors identify long Covid patients at risk of prolonged inflammation. Clinical trials are already applying these insights to tailor treatments. For chronic pain sufferers, VER-01 presents a non-psychoactive option, though its side effects may limit widespread use.
Further research will determine how widely these discoveries can be applied in medical practice.
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