• Contact
  • About
  • Authors
DONATE TO BYLINES SCOTLAND
NEWSLETTER SIGN UP
  • Login
Bylines Scotland
  • Home
  • News
    • All
    • Bylines Scotland Breaking News
    • Europe
    • King Charles III
    • Queen Elizabeth II
    • Scotland
    • War in Ukraine
    • World
    Go Dharmic charity with Martin Dover

    Putting compassion into action – Coronation Champion Award winner Martin Dover leads the way.

    Police Investigation

    There’s been a murder

    Heart of NHS

    Back to the future

    Women health inequalities represented by a heart and a cardiogram

    Women’s Health in Scotland: challenges and progress

    Oil in Scotland

    Oil, Margaret Thatcher and Dinnae Mess Wi Us

    Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh

    Scotland’s Road to Devolution

    Poverty in Scotland

    Poverty in Scotland 2022

    NHS Scotland

    A Healthcare System that delivers for people?

    Scottish political calls

    Liberté, égalité, fraternité

    Trending Tags

    • Democracy
    • Devolution
    • Brexit
    • Ukraine
  • Politics
    • All
    • Council Areas
    • Europe
    • Holyrood
    • Liz Truss
    • Rest of UK
    • Tories
    • United Kingdom
    • Westminster
    • World
    UK voting system First-past-the-post

    Why is the UK still locked into an obsolete political system?

    Scottish Parliament Party seats

    People like to back the winning side.

    Post Election Blues

    Post-election blues

    Labour Anas Sarwar cartoon

    The challenge for Labour in Scotland

    Hard Labour

    Hard Labour

    Edinburgh Military Tattoo mixed with EU symbol

    Great visionaries brought us two great institutions that made life better for Scots and Scotland

    Westminster Government

    Regimes are at their most dangerous in their death throes 

    Rupert Murdoch portrait

    Why Rupert Murdoch should support Scotland’s independence.

    Demonstrator on the streets of London

    Eggs, black shirts and unsettled Britain

    Trending Tags

    • Equality
    • Johnson
    • Scottish National Party
  • Business
    • All
    • Agriculture
    • Aviation
    • Corporations
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Fishing
    • Natural Resources
    • Shipbuilding
    • Trade
    • Transport
    • Workers
    A crane in a port

    Forth and Clyde Drowned by the Thames and Mersey

    Scotland's green Freeport's

    Green freeports – gateway to sustainability or greenwashing with a tax avoidance cherry?

    Salmon covered by sea lice

    Anyone for sea lice risotto?

    Bakkafrost Barge

    The Story of the Bakkafrost Barge Sinking

    Fish farm in Scotland

    A deeper dive into the history of Scottish fish farming

    Fish farms in a Scottish Loch

    How farmed salmon is produced – stage one

    Dead salmons

    Death in our waters

    Fish farming, Isle of Sky, Loch Ainort

    Fish Farming in Scotland 

    Offshore wind farm

    How will local communities get a fair share of record investment from offshore wind farms?

    Trending Tags

    • Health
      • All
      • Assisted dying
      • Covid
      • Influenza
      • Polio virus
      • Respiratory
      • Scientific Research
      Illustration of an antibiotic running away from bacteria depicting antibiotic resistance

      Antibiotic resistance – a major global public health threat

      Slogan Still Home from Clinically Vulnerable Families group

      Covid-19 lockdown continues for many in the UK

      Tree representing lungs

      Where are the areas in Scotland most affected by lung conditions?

      Health service

      Funding the Scottish Health Service 

      A goose surrounded by avian flu

      Who is knocking our doors? A putative new pandemic?

      A woman walking in a field with a jerrycan of water on her back, spraying water on the vegetation

      The Ethiopia Medical Project

      Healthcare word seen in a scrabble

      “Leave no one behind” – the Health Foundation’s report into health inequalities in Scotland 2023.

      Sign saying NHS Greater Galsgow & Clyde in front of a hospital building

      Concern over patients waiting in corridors for free beds at Glasgow Superhospital

      A hospital corridor with trolleys on the sides.

      Glasgow hospitals halt non-urgent operations due to pressure

      Trending Tags

      • Environment
        • All
        • Air Pollution
        • Biology
        • Climate Change
        • Wildfires
        Balblair substation

        Desecrating the glens: the relentless march of the industrial triffids

        Salmon covered by sea lice

        Anyone for sea lice risotto?

        Diagram representing circular economy

        Local Authorities, communities and the circular economy

        Bakkafrost Barge

        The Story of the Bakkafrost Barge Sinking

        Fish farm in Scotland

        A deeper dive into the history of Scottish fish farming

        Fish farms in a Scottish Loch

        How farmed salmon is produced – stage one

        Dead salmons

        Death in our waters

        Fish farming, Isle of Sky, Loch Ainort

        Fish Farming in Scotland 

        Ardnish wildfire by Leslie Barrie, CC BY-SA 2.0 Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic — CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons'

        Fire threats in the Scottish countryside

        Trending Tags

        • Opinion
        No Result
        View All Result
        • Home
        • News
          • All
          • Bylines Scotland Breaking News
          • Europe
          • King Charles III
          • Queen Elizabeth II
          • Scotland
          • War in Ukraine
          • World
          Go Dharmic charity with Martin Dover

          Putting compassion into action – Coronation Champion Award winner Martin Dover leads the way.

          Police Investigation

          There’s been a murder

          Heart of NHS

          Back to the future

          Women health inequalities represented by a heart and a cardiogram

          Women’s Health in Scotland: challenges and progress

          Oil in Scotland

          Oil, Margaret Thatcher and Dinnae Mess Wi Us

          Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh

          Scotland’s Road to Devolution

          Poverty in Scotland

          Poverty in Scotland 2022

          NHS Scotland

          A Healthcare System that delivers for people?

          Scottish political calls

          Liberté, égalité, fraternité

          Trending Tags

          • Democracy
          • Devolution
          • Brexit
          • Ukraine
        • Politics
          • All
          • Council Areas
          • Europe
          • Holyrood
          • Liz Truss
          • Rest of UK
          • Tories
          • United Kingdom
          • Westminster
          • World
          UK voting system First-past-the-post

          Why is the UK still locked into an obsolete political system?

          Scottish Parliament Party seats

          People like to back the winning side.

          Post Election Blues

          Post-election blues

          Labour Anas Sarwar cartoon

          The challenge for Labour in Scotland

          Hard Labour

          Hard Labour

          Edinburgh Military Tattoo mixed with EU symbol

          Great visionaries brought us two great institutions that made life better for Scots and Scotland

          Westminster Government

          Regimes are at their most dangerous in their death throes 

          Rupert Murdoch portrait

          Why Rupert Murdoch should support Scotland’s independence.

          Demonstrator on the streets of London

          Eggs, black shirts and unsettled Britain

          Trending Tags

          • Equality
          • Johnson
          • Scottish National Party
        • Business
          • All
          • Agriculture
          • Aviation
          • Corporations
          • Energy
          • Finance
          • Fishing
          • Natural Resources
          • Shipbuilding
          • Trade
          • Transport
          • Workers
          A crane in a port

          Forth and Clyde Drowned by the Thames and Mersey

          Scotland's green Freeport's

          Green freeports – gateway to sustainability or greenwashing with a tax avoidance cherry?

          Salmon covered by sea lice

          Anyone for sea lice risotto?

          Bakkafrost Barge

          The Story of the Bakkafrost Barge Sinking

          Fish farm in Scotland

          A deeper dive into the history of Scottish fish farming

          Fish farms in a Scottish Loch

          How farmed salmon is produced – stage one

          Dead salmons

          Death in our waters

          Fish farming, Isle of Sky, Loch Ainort

          Fish Farming in Scotland 

          Offshore wind farm

          How will local communities get a fair share of record investment from offshore wind farms?

          Trending Tags

          • Health
            • All
            • Assisted dying
            • Covid
            • Influenza
            • Polio virus
            • Respiratory
            • Scientific Research
            Illustration of an antibiotic running away from bacteria depicting antibiotic resistance

            Antibiotic resistance – a major global public health threat

            Slogan Still Home from Clinically Vulnerable Families group

            Covid-19 lockdown continues for many in the UK

            Tree representing lungs

            Where are the areas in Scotland most affected by lung conditions?

            Health service

            Funding the Scottish Health Service 

            A goose surrounded by avian flu

            Who is knocking our doors? A putative new pandemic?

            A woman walking in a field with a jerrycan of water on her back, spraying water on the vegetation

            The Ethiopia Medical Project

            Healthcare word seen in a scrabble

            “Leave no one behind” – the Health Foundation’s report into health inequalities in Scotland 2023.

            Sign saying NHS Greater Galsgow & Clyde in front of a hospital building

            Concern over patients waiting in corridors for free beds at Glasgow Superhospital

            A hospital corridor with trolleys on the sides.

            Glasgow hospitals halt non-urgent operations due to pressure

            Trending Tags

            • Environment
              • All
              • Air Pollution
              • Biology
              • Climate Change
              • Wildfires
              Balblair substation

              Desecrating the glens: the relentless march of the industrial triffids

              Salmon covered by sea lice

              Anyone for sea lice risotto?

              Diagram representing circular economy

              Local Authorities, communities and the circular economy

              Bakkafrost Barge

              The Story of the Bakkafrost Barge Sinking

              Fish farm in Scotland

              A deeper dive into the history of Scottish fish farming

              Fish farms in a Scottish Loch

              How farmed salmon is produced – stage one

              Dead salmons

              Death in our waters

              Fish farming, Isle of Sky, Loch Ainort

              Fish Farming in Scotland 

              Ardnish wildfire by Leslie Barrie, CC BY-SA 2.0 Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic — CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons'

              Fire threats in the Scottish countryside

              Trending Tags

              • Opinion
              No Result
              View All Result
              Bylines Scotland
              No Result
              View All Result
              Home Health Covid

              Long Covid patients prognosis: any hope?

              Is there a lack of applied research linked to the needs of long Covid patients who seem to be left by the wayside?

              Dr Patricia S PatonbyDr Patricia S Paton
              27-08-2022 08:00
              in Covid, Europe, Health, Scotland, Viruses
              Artwork by author, printed with permission

              Artwork by author, printed with permission

              370
              VIEWS
              Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

              It’s been two years and a half since the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic started. Although there have been advancements in treatment for those affected severely by the virus, more research is fundamental to identify all serological, clinical and epidemiological features of the infection.

              In UK, 2.8% of the population self-reported long Covid while in Scotland the estimate numbers of long Covid sufferers is 151,000.

              However, the World Health Organization’s brief policy of 2021 mentioned that surveillance of long Covid wasn’t happening in European countries. The identification of a number of haematological and immunological markers is of fundamental importance to reveal what is triggering the different responses observed in patients with long Covid. It can, consequently, be useful for prevention and treatment.

              In 2020, I was already questioning why long Covid patients in UK weren’t being tracked and why studies weren’t being carried out with regard to serum markers that enable assessment of disease severity and viral replication status.

              I questioned T cells abnormal metabolic profiles in these patients that could be responsible for an atypical immune response. Several studies have now identified biomarkers; highly activated innate immune cells, lack of naive T and B cells, high levels of inflammatory mediators, D-dimers (protein fragments when a blood clot dissolves) and CRP (C Reactive Protein, that is a sign of inflammation). These discoveries have opened a door to a better outcome for long Covid patients. They could help in identifying the different groups of these patients and create a targeted therapy. However, have they been enough?

              Are Biomarkers being used in long Covid sufferers treatment?

              At the moment there are no evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for long Covid, because the pathogenic mechanisms in long Covid-19 are still not known. Therefore, there isn’t a straight forward methodology for treatment. Biomarkers could clarify the puzzle and move the treatment situation forward.

              The variation in study designs is high with concern to symptoms that are self-reported, or evaluated without tests, the time of appearance of long term symptoms and with regard also to the groups of individuals. There isn’t a common list of key symptoms that could be used to sort patients with long Covid into subgroups.

              There is a need of consensus in such variables, so research around the world can provide a common protocol for possible treatments. The world needs a coordinated effort. Around Europe, there are funds to set up clinics specific for long Covid patients. In Scotland/UK not much of the funding is being used to finding treatments. Although there is guidance for health care workers, treatments will depend on doctors with their own patients.

              Are immunological markers that are normally found in blood being correlated with cases that appear in clinics with arthritis, myositis, pancreatitis and other manifestations? Again, the search for specific markers could indicate the different types of symptoms in long Covid in an attempt to improve the lives of these patients, serving as a common diagnostic tool around the world.

              Man sat with head in hands
              Health

              Living with long Covid: the second pandemic

              byLesley Macniven
              1 August 2022

              What are the treatments available?

              I’ve decided to investigate if there were different clinical protocols for long Covid patients in UK, in countries that are part of the European Union and in one considered to be part of the third world, in development. I wanted to find out if one of these countries were using immunological markers mentioned above. The results are summarised below. Treatments so far are relying mainly on primary care, without a specific and common protocol for the treatment of long Covid patients.

              UK, including Scotland: care services mainly around primary care, referral to an integrated multidisciplinary assessment service and referral to specialist care for specific complications.

              Europe: Also mainly based on primary care. Belgium, France, Spain and Germany have specialist long Covid clinics. However they attend a small fraction of the population.

              In Brazil there is no specific treatment for long Covid patients either. The clinical treatment is based on symptoms and complications after diagnosis of Covid. The guideline for laboratory test in patients with post Covid is to perform blood tests and specific clinical exams depending on the history of the patient. If blood test is suggested, it should have a complete blood count, red cells and white cells. For certain cases, the look for some biomarkers are requested and dosages are recommended;

              • D-dimer when there is suspicion of thrombosis,
              • Thyroid hormones that are related to our metabolism that can explain tiredness,
              • FAN (anti-nuclear antibodies-ANA) that are correlated to autoimmune disease,
              • CPK (creatine phosphokinase) related to muscle injury that explains muscle and joint pain and
              • Troponin, a protein that is found in skeletal muscle and heart. In case of injury in these muscles, such protein reaches the blood.

              The hope relies on epidemiological studies and research for targeted therapy

              It is evident that there is still lack of applied research linked to clinics to attend the needs of these patients, which seem to be left aside around the world. Epidemiological data, which gather the frequency and pattern of causes and risk factors of events related to health is crucial to have a clear view of the multifaceted long Covid. For this, gathering patients records may be necessary. Approaches to therapy for long Covid sufferers are surfacing. However, it’s fundamental to use biomarkers as those cited above. Are the nations in UK using the correct diagnosis tools and equipment to deal with this debilitating disease, such as Flow Cytometers to investigate the profile of immune cell populations in long Covid patients and its inflammatory cytokines related to virus persistence and develop of the chronic condition?

              Scotland is well renowned for its scientific discoveries due to its high levels of biomedical research. Although funding is available for research projects and some long Covid patients are being enrolled in those, there is an urgent need for targeted therapy. Scotland has a huge potential with its expertise in the biomedical area to provide hope for the long Covid sufferers, if funding is directed into the right place.

              Long Covid sufferers such as the health service workers who have compromised their health to save the Scottish people during the more obscure times of the pandemic, the working population contributing to the richness of the country and the children that are the future of the nation deserve the best treatment possible.


              We need your help! The press in our country is dominated by billionaire-owned media, many offshore and avoiding paying tax. We are a citizen journalism publication but still have significant costs. If you believe in what we do, please consider subscribing to the Bylines Gazette 🙏

              Tags: Long CovidResearch
              Previous Post

              Sgurr an Fheadain

              Next Post

              Glasgow is back! Revival of a city centre recovering from the pandemic

              Dr Patricia S Paton

              Dr Patricia S Paton

              Patricia S Paton was born in Brazil where she acquired her BSc in biochemistry & immunology, MSc in cellular and molecular biology and PhD in immunology. In 2000 she was awarded an international fellowship by the Wellcome Trust to develop her research, signalling transduction in a parasitic disease, at University of Glasgow. Afterwards, she was involved with projects on immune-stimulating complexes and drugs development. Nowadays, she researchers and tutors privately.

              Related Posts

              Go Dharmic charity with Martin Dover
              Scotland

              Putting compassion into action – Coronation Champion Award winner Martin Dover leads the way.

              byThomas Greengrass
              28 May 2023
              Police Investigation
              Opinion

              There’s been a murder

              byMartin Roche
              26 May 2023
              Heart of NHS
              NHS Scotland

              Back to the future

              byLynne Copland
              20 May 2023
              Women health inequalities represented by a heart and a cardiogram
              NHS Scotland

              Women’s Health in Scotland: challenges and progress

              byDr Patricia S Paton
              16 May 2023
              Oil in Scotland
              History

              Oil, Margaret Thatcher and Dinnae Mess Wi Us

              byMartin Roche
              14 May 2023
              Next Post
              Glasgow City Council will revitalise the city's George Square and make it a greener and more welcoming space. The public is currently being asked what they want to see in the square and how it should look. Image courtesy Glasgow City Council

              Glasgow is back! Revival of a city centre recovering from the pandemic

              PLEASE SUPPORT OUR CROWDFUNDER

              Subscribe to our newsletters
              CHOOSE YOUR NEWS
              Follow us on social media
              CHOOSE YOUR PLATFORMS
              Download our app
              ALL OF BYLINES IN ONE PLACE
              Subscribe to our gazette
              CONTRIBUTE TO OUR SUSTAINABILITY
              Make a monthly or one-off donation
              DONATE NOW
              Help us with our hosting costs
              SIGN UP TO SITEGROUND
              We are always looking for citizen journalists
              WRITE FOR US
              Volunteer as an editor, in a technical role, or on social media
              VOLUNTEER FOR US
              Something else?
              GET IN TOUCH
              Previous slide
              Next slide

              LATEST

              Go Dharmic charity with Martin Dover

              Putting compassion into action – Coronation Champion Award winner Martin Dover leads the way.

              28 May 2023
              UK voting system First-past-the-post

              Why is the UK still locked into an obsolete political system?

              27 May 2023
              Police Investigation

              There’s been a murder

              26 May 2023
              Brexit impact illustration

              Brexit Stock Take

              24 May 2023

              MOST READ

              Image by Malcom Laverty

              The hard right has lost the public on Brexit – prepare for a vicious backlash

              1 January 2023
              Brexit impact illustration

              Brexit Stock Take

              24 May 2023
              UK voting system First-past-the-post

              Why is the UK still locked into an obsolete political system?

              27 May 2023
              Image via HAV.

              Could an airship be the solution to travel woes in the Highlands and Islands?

              12 November 2022

              BROWSE BY TAGS

              Brexit Christmas ClimateChange Covid Covid19 Culture Defence Democracy Devolution election FishFarms Glasgow Halloween health History Holyrood independence IndyRef2 Johnson Journalism Labour LGBT+ Liz Truss Monarchy NATO NHS Nicola Sturgeon politics Poverty Pro-EU Public Health Putin Russia Sars-CoV-2 Scotland Security and Defence shipbuilding SNP Sunak Tories Tourism Twitter Ukraine UK Supreme Court War in Ukraine
              Bylines Scotland

              We are a not-for-profit citizen journalism publication. Our aim is to publish well-written, fact-based articles and opinion pieces on subjects that are of interest to people in Scotland and beyond.

              Bylines Scotland is a trading brand of Bylines Network Limited, which is a partner organisation to Byline Times.

              Learn more about us

              No Result
              View All Result
              • Network
              • About
              • Authors
              • Contact
              • Donate
              • Privacy

              © 2023 Bylines Scotland. Citizen Journalism | Local & Internationalist

              No Result
              View All Result
              • Home
              • News
                • Scotland
                • World
              • Politics
                • Council Areas
                • Europe
                • Holyrood
                • Rest of UK
                • Westminster
              • Business
                • Fishing
                • Trade
                • Transport
              • Health
              • Environment
                • Climate Change
              • Opinion
              • Donate
              • Newsletter sign up
              CROWDFUNDER

              © 2023 Bylines Scotland. Citizen Journalism | Local & Internationalist

              Welcome Back!

              Login to your account below

              Forgotten Password?

              Retrieve your password

              Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

              Log In