A recent study conducted by Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Max Delbrück Center has revealed concerning data about the long-term effects of post-COVID syndrome (PCS), also known as “long COVID.”
Researchers identified two groups of PCS patients experiencing severe fatigue and exertion intolerance.
One group met the diagnostic criteria for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), while the other did not.
Those in the latter group experienced gradual improvement in symptoms, whereas those diagnosed with ME/CFS remained largely unchanged.
Methodology and Findings
The study involved 106 participants, mainly women, who underwent comprehensive medical examinations at three points over several months.
It found that many patients with severe fatigue resulting from PCS remained significantly impaired even 20 months after their initial SARS-CoV-2 infection.
“Only half of them—the half that does not present with the full range of symptoms of ME/CFS—experience a gradual improvement in at least some symptoms,” said Dr. Judith Bellmann-Strobl, the study’s last author.
Grip Strength as a Prognostic Indicator
One intriguing observation was that the initial grip strength of patients meeting the ME/CFS criteria could predict the severity of their symptoms up to 20 months later.
While this needs further confirmation, it opens a potential avenue for gauging disease progression.
Implications
The WHO estimates that approximately 36 million people in Europe are currently living with long COVID, experiencing significant impairments in daily life.
The study underscores the urgent need for healthcare facilities specializing in multidisciplinary care for these patients, based on up-to-date scientific and clinical findings.
Recommendations for Patients
In the absence of treatments that target the root cause of PCS and ME/CFS, Dr. Bellmann-Strobl recommends pacing as a way to manage symptoms.
Tools such as fitness trackers, heart rate monitors, and activity journals can assist patients in avoiding overexertion, which could exacerbate their condition.
About ME/CFS
ME/CFS is a severe neurological disease often triggered by an infection. Its main symptom, post-exertional malaise, worsens after even minor physical or mental activity.
The number of people suffering from ME/CFS has likely increased significantly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, adding urgency to the need for effective treatments and specialized healthcare facilities.
The study serves as a grim reminder of the prolonged shadow that COVID-19 can cast over individuals’ lives, especially those who develop long-term symptoms.
It also emphasizes the need for continued research and healthcare infrastructure to manage and treat these chronic conditions.
If you care about COVID, please read studies about new evidence on rare blood clots after COVID-19 vaccination, and how diets could help manage post-COVID syndrome.
For more information about COVID, please see recent studies that low-sodium plant-based diets may prevent COVID-19 better, and results showing zinc could help reduce COVID-19 infection risk.
The study was published in eClinicalMedicine.
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