Version 1
: Received: 11 September 2023 / Approved: 29 September 2023 / Online: 16 October 2023 (09:09:17 CEST)
Version 2
: Received: 22 November 2023 / Approved: 22 November 2023 / Online: 22 November 2023 (14:24:54 CET)
Version 3
: Received: 14 May 2024 / Approved: 20 May 2024 / Online: 20 May 2024 (16:47:10 CEST)
Version 4
: Received: 15 July 2024 / Approved: 16 July 2024 / Online: 17 July 2024 (11:02:26 CEST)
How to cite:
Molenaar, P. A. Long COVID: A Chronic Shortage of Blood. Treatment Proposal Based on Reasoned Speculation from Pathophysiological Principles. Preprints2023, 2023092109. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202309.2109.v4
Molenaar, P. A. Long COVID: A Chronic Shortage of Blood. Treatment Proposal Based on Reasoned Speculation from Pathophysiological Principles. Preprints 2023, 2023092109. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202309.2109.v4
Molenaar, P. A. Long COVID: A Chronic Shortage of Blood. Treatment Proposal Based on Reasoned Speculation from Pathophysiological Principles. Preprints2023, 2023092109. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202309.2109.v4
APA Style
Molenaar, P. A. (2024). Long COVID: A Chronic Shortage of Blood. Treatment Proposal Based on Reasoned Speculation from Pathophysiological Principles. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202309.2109.v4
Chicago/Turabian Style
Molenaar, P. A. 2024 "Long COVID: A Chronic Shortage of Blood. Treatment Proposal Based on Reasoned Speculation from Pathophysiological Principles" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202309.2109.v4
Abstract
The signs and symptoms of Long COVID can be explained by a shortage of blood in the body and a resulting deficient blood flow through nearly all organs. This shortage arose during the acute phase of COVID19 by an increased breakdown of haematocytes, to which the liver responds by reducing the production of plasma. In order to prevent a too large decrease in haematocrit. In order to ensure the perfusion of organs that are directly necessary for survival, the body takes the emergency measure of diverting blood from other organs and tissues. The perfusion of the blood-producing organs is also affected by this distribution measure, which hinders the smooth recovery of the total blood volume. The body is stuck in this vicious circle: a shortage of circulating blood hinders the recovery of blood production. This explains the long duration of Long COVID. My proposed treatment of Long COVID focuses on the recovery of the correct volume of blood in the body of the right composition by the intravenous administration of donor blood products, starting with albumin concentrate. A trial treatment can be performed in any hospital without much additional preparations, and has a lower associated risk for the patient than analysing the total blood. A diagnosis ex juvantibus, by therapeutic response, is therefore preferable. I suspect that we will find a haematocrit value at the high extreme of the reference range, and an albumin value at the low extreme of the reference range in most Long COVID patients before the start of the treatment, because the liver can not keep up with the recovery of the red bone marrow.
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
