2024-01-20 20:02:30
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In previous broadcasts, Kassa paid ample attention to the great need of doctors and patients with long COVID in our country to access specialized treatment centers. Regular care for these patients is significantly inadequate, especially for the most serious patients. In the broadcast of December 9, 2023, we showed that there are already a large number of treatment centers for long COVID in Germany. Tonight’s broadcast also features Italy, where special treatment centers for children with long COVID have been set up.
Pediatrician Dr. Danilo Buensenso works at the renowned Gemelli Hospital in Rome. He specializes in pediatric infectious diseases and has a PhD in Public Health & Biomolecular Sciences. He was one of the first European doctors to publish on lung COVID in children. Within the European profession he is seen as an important pioneer in the field of research into and treatment of long COVID.
Medication
Buensenso states that everything must be done to help these children. To this end, he uses existing medication for common symptoms of long COVID, such as chronic headaches or POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome). For very serious cases, he also uses off-label medication that, although intended for other conditions, also seems to work against long COVID.
“We treat what we can. For example, chronic headaches and POTS are common symptoms in patients and children with long COVID. Treating these symptoms with medication should be the standard.”
According to the doctor, these are not experimental treatments. Buensenso: “There are already clear medical guidelines for the treatment of conditions such as POTS and chronic headaches, on the basis of which we prescribe medication. For example, the drug Ivabradine – a drug that lowers the heart rate – for symptoms of POTS. This is a frequently used and safe medicine. There is nothing experimental about that.”
In many cases, off-label medication leads to good outcomes
The Italian pediatrician says he also prescribes off-label medication for his patients in very serious cases of long COVID. These are marketed medicines that have been approved for an indication other than long COVID.
Buensenso: “We treat children with off-label medication in extensive consultation with parents and always in a controlled clinical context.”
According to the Italian doctor, these experimental treatments have already led to good outcomes for many of his patients.
“More money and attention needed”
Finally, Buensenso calls for more attention and research money for long COVID in children: “The funding within the field for long COVID is largely intended for research in adults. Children’s research is therefore seriously underfunded and neglected.”
Buensenso also calls for more attention and European research funding for long COVID in children: “The funding is largely intended for research in adults. Children’s research is therefore seriously underfunded and neglected.”
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