Rehabilitation program of post-COVID-19 syndrome with the use of nitric oxide and molecular hydrogen

Abstract

Рost-COVID-19 syndrome (PS) is one of the medical and social problem. According to WHO, 10–20% of COVID-19 patients suffer from PS. The use of medical gases – inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) and molecular hydrogen (iH2) – may influence on the mechanisms of development PC. Aim. To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the combined inhalation of NO and H2 (iNO/iH2) in patients with respiratory manifestations of PS. Materials and methods. 34 patients with PS (11 men/23 women, 60.0±11.7 years) were included in the prospective open-label controlled study in parallel groups: the main group (n=17) received iNO/iH2 for 90 minutes once a day for 10 days (concentration of NO 60 ppm, H24% in the gas mixture), the control group (n=17) didn’t receive inhalations. The period from the confirmation of COVID-19 to the start of the study was 641.8±230.5 days. The groups did not differ in the baseline parameters. The clinical symptoms (from the self-observation diary and mMRC questionnaires, "dyspnea language"), FAS, HADS, SF-36 scores, 6-minute walk test, the blood serum parameters of oxidative stress, the dynamics of the microcirculation in the eye bulbar conjunctiva were evaluated. The individual dose of iNO has chosen during a 15-minute test (the positive dynamics of the microcirculation have indicated that the dose was selected correctly). Results. The decrease the symptoms severity, such as dyspnea, cough, fatigue and palpitations (p0.005), the increase in SF-36 questionnaire scores (p=0.006) and a reducing of FAS score (p=0.001), as well as the anxiety component of HADS (p=0.02) were revealed at the end of treatment in the main group compared to the control group. We observed an improvement in distance walked (p=0.01) and the values SpO2 (p=0.04) in 6-minute walk test, the increase in the volumetric blood flow velocity in venules (p0.001), and the date in oxidative damage (p0.001) and antioxidant activity (p=0.03) parameters in the blood serum. Conclusion. The results of the study demonstrate clinical efficacy iNO/iH2 on clinical indicators, parameters of oxidative stress and microcirculation in patients with PS.

Keywords

• nitric oxide
• hydrogen
• post-acute-covid-19 syndrome
• covid-19
• rehabilitation
• oxidative stress
• microcirculation