IDIAPJGol promotes E-SPERANZA COVID: an independent clinical trial on persistent Covid-19
The E-SPERANZA COVID is an independent clinical trial that will evaluate the effectiveness of Montelukast, an already marketed drug used in people with asthma. The trial, an independent study, has been submitted to several calls for funding, and also opts for external funding. The clinical trial is directed by the family doctor of the Center d'Atenció Primària El Pla de Sant Feliu de Llobregat of the Direcció d'Atenció Primària Costa Ponent de l'Institut Català de la Salut, and researcher at the IDIAPJGol Francisco Mera Cordero.
The researcher of the University Institute Foundation for Research on Primary Health Care Jordi Gol y Gurina and ICS family doctor Francisco Mera Cordero leads the clinical trial that will evaluate the efficacy of the drug Montelukast in the treatment of dyspnea in COVID- 19 Persistent.
The clinical trial is named E-SPERANZA COVID because of the first patient who was treated with the drug Montelukast. An improvement in respiratory symptoms was observed, one of the most disabling symptoms of persistent Covid-19.
A new field of research
Dr. Mera highlights the importance of doing research in this area, since "being a new clinical entity, little information is available published in scientific journals, and the number of patients that could be affected is also unknown." Additionally, no treatment is currently available for persistent Covid-19.
This is a randomized clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of montelukast versus placebo in improving the quality of life associated with mild-moderate respiratory symptoms in individuals with persistent Covid-19. The trial will include 284 18-year-old individuals, cared for in primary care centers, with mild-moderate acute Covid-19 (without pneumonia or hospital admission) but in whom the sensation of shortness of breath persists 4 weeks after onset.
The study also includes determinations of biological markers to detect potential best response identifiers, in addition to expanding current knowledge of the disease.
The E-SPERANZA Covid-19 clinical trial is an independent study, therefore it needs funding to be able to run. For anyone interested, donations can be made through the EPIDEMIXS platform .
The persistent Covid-19
This trial represents an opportunity for direct improvement in the quality of life of the entire group of people affected by persistent Covid-19, which is estimated to be around 10% of the people who have suffered Covid-19. The persistent Covid-19, already recognised as a sindrom by the Ministerio de Sanidad, it is assumed by who suffers from dyspnea at minimal efforts with less trained exercise, cough, headache, arthralgia, low-grade fever, abdominal pain, asthenia and skin symptoms. As such, this disease can be very disabling.
Dr. Francisco Mera is optimistic about the trial: “We assume that more than 40% of patients will find improvement with Montelukast. Within the clinical trial, a characterization of Covid-19 will be made from the immunological, microbiological and neurological fields thanks to the participation of the Bellvitge Hospital. Positive results would mean obtaining a treatment with scientific evidence reflected by a clinical trial, a better approach to the disease, with protocols and clinical guidelines based on scientific evidence. It would also be an improvement in the accompaniment of the affected people and a ray of hope”.
