More Evidence HCQ is Beneficial in Treating COVID-19?

A WSJ article from earlier this week, about “COVID Long Haulers” is generating a lot of discussion.

One point it makes: “Another possibility [for the cause of chronic COVID] is that the virus causes some people’s immune systems to attack and damage their own organs and tissues, researchers said. A June study found roughly half of 29 hospitalized ICU patients with Covid-19 had one or more types of autoantibodies.”

Also getting some attention in MSM (mainstream media) this week is this recent paper published in Science Translational Medicine:

Prothrombotic autoantibodies in serum from patients hospitalized with COVID-19

“Antiphospholipid syndrome is an acquired and potentially life-threatening thrombophilia in which patients develop pathogenic autoantibodies targeting phospholipids and phospholipid-binding proteins (aPL antibodies).  … These findings suggest that half of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 become at least transiently positive for aPL antibodies and that these autoantibodies are potentially pathogenic [e.g. drive thrombosis].”
https://stm.sciencemag.org/content/early/2020/11/02/scitranslmed.abd3876

Is mitigating the autoantibody problem one potential reason hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) helps in COVID-19?

Maybe that’s what’s already been suspected but the Science paper helps backup the use of HCQ.

For instance the literature on SLE includes these observations:

“data indicate that hydroxychloroquine may play a role in decreasing APL antibody levels in APL positive patients and maintaining low APL levels in APL negative patients.”
https://ard.bmj.com/content/69/Suppl_2/A10.3

“In patients with SLE and persistently positive aPL, we recommend HCQ for the primary prevention of thrombosis”
https://ashpublications.org/hematology/article/2016/1/714/21142/What-is-the-role-of-hydroxychloroquine-in-reducing

In other words, the evidence that HCQ helps continues to build.

The Uncertainty of the Path Ahead

By Katarina Lindley, D.O.

This past year has brought up many issues head on. The fear of the pandemic has changed the way this country has been governed for many years.  As we enter the ballot box next week the choice is clear.  One vote is for liberal, progressive, socialism driven agenda that will bring us closer to the government lead society and the other is for liberty and freedom of a nation that was born from an idea that all men are created equal and deserve success and happiness.

I grew up in a small Balkan country, relatively happy child who did not really understand the dynamics of the life we lived, until I was told not to tell people we went to church because it could cost my dad his job.  It took me many years to realize that Yugoslavia was not the utopian society we were lead to believe and ultimately fear, as all actions were controlled by the government and the freedom of thought was highly discouraged.  I “credit” the socialized medicine with the death of my mother many years ago due to bureaucratic lead healthcare system where ultimately patient is just a number on an endless list of cases and diseases.

This past year has shown me that even a country as free as USA is not free from the attacks within.  The idea of socialism that Bernie Sanders has successfully infiltrated in the halls of our nation capitol has spread within the ranks of Democratic party and its progressive leaders.  The system of government that liberals are trying to push on us is based on an ideology with the ultimate goal of eliminating private property and redistribution of wealth. They are interested in government-controlled education, healthcare and labor, central banking system, as well as the government ownership of transportation and agriculture, making us more dependent on them.  As a physician I believe that Biden’s private option is a socialized takeover of our biggest economical entity which will bring us closer to national socialism.  What many people are not aware of is that socialism does not live in a vacuum and is an extension of communism which many immigrants as myself have fled from.

Watching unrests, riots, attacks on Pro-Trump voters, Jewish Trump caravan and blatant hate of anyone who disagrees with liberal agenda, has given me some flashbacks.  One of my favorite subjects has always been history, and as I was seeing Minneapolis, L.A and closer to home, Austin, defund or decrease police budgets, I remembered studying about Hitler.  In 1933 he ordered “nazification” of the police force by changing the organizational structure, leadership, training and the values of German’s police force. As some view toppling of this nations monuments as an outcry to injustice of Confederate leaders, I view this as a monumental error in trying to erase the history that shaped this nation.  I do not want to forget Stalin or his persecution of Christians and political enemies, or Aushwitz where many Jews where killed because Hitler deemed then inferior.  Few years ago, I visited Tiananmen square and standing there seeing a huge Chinese flag across from it, all I could remember is many lives lost.  History has its placed and should not be forgotten.

This election has become a referendum of the beliefs and values that United States was founded on.  As an immigrant like many others that fled communist regimes, USA is a beacon of hope.  USA is not just a nation but an idea where life, liberty and pursue of happiness are not ideals but a reality; a place where the American dream is alive or it used to be.   My fear for my children is that we will forget, forget 1776, wars fought, 9/11, lives lost.  A nation that does not remember its failures and its wins can never be a free nation.