New Study Shows Improvement in MECFS and Long Covid with Nebulized Antioxidants and Antipathogenic Agent

 A new study by Gil and colleagues published in ScienceDirect this month explores the link between CD8 T-cell dysfunction and the symptoms of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and Long Covid. The authors also report the effects of a novel treatment with nebulized antioxidants and antipathogen agent in a retrospective case series.

CD8 T-cells are a type of white blood cell that play a crucial role in fighting viral infections and tumors. They can become dysfunctional or exhausted when they encounter persistent or overwhelming antigens, leading to impaired immune response and chronic inflammation. Previous studies have suggested that CD8 T-cell dysfunction may be involved in the pathogenesis of ME/CFS and Long Covid, two debilitating conditions characterized by fatigue, pain, cognitive impairment, and other symptoms that persist for months or years after an infection or a stressful event.

The researchers analyzed blood samples from 20 patients with ME/CFS, 20 patients with Long Covid, and 20 healthy controls. They measured the expression of various markers of CD8 T-cell activation, exhaustion, senescence, and cytotoxicity. They found that both ME/CFS and Long Covid patients had significantly higher levels of CD8 T-cell exhaustion and senescence markers than healthy controls, indicating a state of chronic immune activation and dysfunction. They also found that these markers correlated with the severity of symptoms and the duration of illness.

The researchers then treated 10 ME/CFS and 10 Long Covid patients with a combination of nebulized antioxidants (glutathione and N-acetylcysteine) and antipathogen agent (hypochlorous acid) for 12 weeks. This treatment was designed to reduce oxidative stress, inflammation, and viral load in the respiratory tract, which may contribute to CD8 T-cell dysfunction. The results showed that the treatment significantly improved the symptoms and quality of life of the patients, as well as reduced the levels of CD8 T-cell exhaustion and senescence markers.

The study provides evidence that CD8 T-cell dysfunction is associated with the symptoms of ME/CFS and Long Covid, and that nebulized antioxidants and antipathogen agent may be a promising therapy for these conditions. However, the authors acknowledge the limitations of their study, such as the small sample size, the lack of a control group, and the retrospective design. They call for more research to confirm their findings and to elucidate the mechanisms underlying CD8 T-cell dysfunction and its modulation by nebulized treatment.

Identification of CD8 T-cell Dysfunction Associated with Symptoms in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Long Covid and Treatment with Nebulized Antioxidants and Antipathogen Agent in Retrospective Case. Gil et al. ScienceDirect December 2023.