Repurposing a medical device that could potentially improve lung function in COVID-19

The current approach to management of COVID-19 involves managing symptoms while the disease runs its course.

But with millions of cases worldwide and the death toll continuing to rise, the race is on to find effective treatments to mitigate the pandemic.

Given that respiratory failure is the main cause of death in critically ill COVID-19 patients, interventions that improve lung function could be life-saving. Recognising this, Vitafon realised that their hand-held medical device, which delivers low intensity vibration to reduce local inflammation and has shown some benefits in improving lung function in COPD patients, could theoretically be used to treat moderate-to-severe respiratory disease resulting from COVID-19.

Vitafon wanted to offer their medical device to clinical research centres to investigate any possible benefits it may provide to patients with COVID-19. To facilitate this, EIT Health introduced Vitafon to University Hospital Centre Sisters of Charity, Zagreb, Croatia and both organisations are now investigating the value of proceeding with a clinical trial to evaluate the effects of the device in COVID-19 patients.

For the full story, see EIT Health's website