Horowitz Published on Patients with Lyme Disease and COVID-19

Dr. Richard Horrowitz co-author of the published case study.
Dr. Richard Horrowitz co-author of the published case study.

Drs. Richard Horowitz and Phyllis Freeman, and James Bruzzese have published a case report, “Efficacy of glutathione therapy in relieving dyspnea associated with COVID-19 pneumonia: A report of 2 cases.” The report, published in Respiratory Medicine Case Reports, evaluates two patients with Lyme disease and COVID-19.

The authors note the potential for severe COVID-19 infections to result in serious outcomes from “cytokine storm syndrome,” causing novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP) and symptoms including severe dyspnea and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The published report evaluates the effects of using high dose oral and/or IV glutathione in the treatment of 2 patients with dyspnea secondary to COVID-19 pneumonia.

Both patients had a history of Lyme and TBD, and were experiencing a cough and dyspnea, along with demonstrated radiological findings consistent with novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP). The report states, “A trial of 2 g of PO or IV glutathione was used in both patients and improved their dyspnea within 1 h of use. Repeated use of both 2000 mg of PO and IV glutathione was effective in further relieving respiratory symptoms.”

The authors conclude, “Oral and IV glutathione, glutathione precursors (N-acetyl-cysteine) and alpha lipoic acid may represent a novel treatment approach for blocking NFKappaB and addressing “cytokine storm syndrome” and respiratory distress in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.”

A final version of the report will be posted later, but the case study can be viewed on Science Direct. View the case study.

Respiratory Medicine Case Reports is an open-access companion title to the internationally-renowned Respiratory Medicine.

Watch a video of Dr. Horrowitz discussing Lyme disease and COVID-19 with Dr. Sunjya Schweig, Dr. Steven Harris, Dr. Jacob Leone and Dr. Ilene Ruhoy.

Dr. Sunjya Schweig, of the California Center for Functional Medicine, was joined by Dr. Steven Harris, Dr Jacob Leone, Dr Ilene Ruhoy and Dr. Richard Horowitz in a discussion about COVID-19.

View other Lyme disease and COVID-19 news from LDA.