Effectiveness of transcranial electrical stimulation as an adjunct to monopharmacotherapy in post-COVID syndrome with depressive symptoms and sleep disturbances

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: The study of potential therapeutic approaches for post-COVID syndrome within randomized controlled trials remains one of the priority objectives.

AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of transcranial electrical stimulation as an adjunct to monopharmacotherapy on depression, sleep disturbances, and plasma cortisol and serotonin levels in patients with post-COVID syndrome.

METHODS: The study included 150 patients with post-COVID syndrome randomized into two groups (75 each): the main group received transcranial electrical stimulation in addition to monopharmacotherapy, while the reference group received monopharmacotherapy alone. Treatment efficacy was assessed after 15 days using the HADS-D, ISI, CGI-S scales and plasma cortisol and serotonin levels.

RESULTS: After 15 days, statistically significant differences between the groups were observed in median scores on HADS-D (p=0.042), CGI-S (p=0.002), and ISI (p <0.001), as well as in cortisol (p=0.001) and serotonin (p=0.002) levels. The addition of transcranial electrical stimulation to monopharmacotherapy in patients with post-COVID syndrome resulted in complete remission of its manifestations in 95% of cases.

CONCLUSION: The findings support the use of transcranial electrical stimulation as an effective and pathogenetically justified component of comprehensive treatment in outpatients with post-COVID syndrome presenting with depressive symptoms and sleep disturbances.

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About the authors

Anna D. Rubel

State Council of the Republic of Crimea

Author for correspondence.
Email: lesya_gymenyuk@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0009-0007-4816-3182
Russian Federation, Simferopol

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СМИ зарегистрировано Федеральной службой по надзору в сфере связи, информационных технологий и массовых коммуникаций (Роскомнадзор).
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