A recent study by the University of Otago has brought hope to those suffering from long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).
This pilot study, published in Scientific Reports, reveals a close connection between these two conditions, a suspicion researchers have had for some time.
Emeritus Professor Warren Tate, the senior author of the study, emphasizes the significance of this discovery.
The research compared the immune cell proteins in patients with both conditions and found striking similarities. This breakthrough confirms the link between long COVID and ME/CFS.
What’s exciting about this is that it allows for a transfer of knowledge and treatment strategies.
The understanding and therapeutic approaches developed over the last 30 years for ME/CFS can now be applied to the estimated 100 million cases of long COVID globally.
Conversely, the substantial efforts and resources invested in researching long COVID, particularly in wealthier nations, can also benefit the many people with ME/CFS, a condition that has been steadily growing in numbers.
The study involved examining the immune system activity of six long COVID patients a year after their COVID-19 infection.
Their immune responses were dramatically different compared to five healthy individuals in the control group, indicating a chronic dysfunctional state.
This data matched closely with that from a group of nine ME/CFS patients, who had been living with the condition for an average of 16 years.
This research supports a previously published model explaining the dysfunctional physiology common to both ME/CFS and long COVID.
According to this model, in certain individuals (determined by their health history and genetic makeup), the typical immune and inflammatory response to infection or stress doesn’t resolve quickly as it does in most people.
Instead, it becomes chronic, leading to a series of reactions involving the brain, immune system, and central nervous system. This results in various neurological symptoms and poor brain regulation of body physiology.
Emeritus Professor Tate points out that long COVID, resulting from the pandemic SARS-CoV-2 virus, is a specific instance of ME/CFS.
This condition can arise in susceptible individuals from various sources, including endemic viruses like glandular fever or from limited viral outbreaks like the SARS-CoV-1 virus outbreak in 2003.
This study sheds light on a significant number of people who suffer from disrupted immune systems, dysfunctional energy production, and disturbed brain regulation, affecting their family lives, work abilities, and community participation.
The findings underscore the need for support for these individuals at all societal levels.
According to Emeritus Professor Tate, targeting the immune response and inflammatory pathways could be an effective therapeutic approach.
This study not only offers new perspectives in understanding these conditions but also opens the door to potential treatments, providing a beacon of hope for millions affected by long COVID and ME/CFS.
If you care about COVID, please read studies about Vitamin D deficiency linked to severe COVID-19, and how diets could help manage post-COVID syndrome.
For more information about COVID, please see recent studies about new evidence on rare blood clots after COVID-19 vaccination, and results showing zinc could help reduce COVID-19 infection risk.
The research findings can be found in Scientific Reports.
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