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Ebola virus disease sequelae: a challenge that is not going away

Dolphin

Senior Member
Messages
17,567
Some aspects of post-EVD sequelae are similar to those of chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis, a debilitating and complex disease characterised by prolonged and disabling fatigue. The range of symptoms for this condition includes headache, muscle and joint pain, and post-exertional malaise.11 The aetiology and pathophysiology of chronic fatigue syndrome is not yet determined, with investigations done into infection and inflammation as well as altered immunity. Evidence-based treatment programmes include graded exercise and cognitive behavioural therapy, and tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline can be used for symptomatic pain relief. Could inspiration be taken from this approach for post-EVD sequelae?

:mad:


Available online 14 January 2017

Comment

Ebola virus disease sequelae: a challenge that is not going away
  • a Institute of Translational Medicine and NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GE, UK
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RogerBlack

Senior Member
Messages
902
Commented
The above comment notes about CFS 'evidence based treatment programs include graded exercise and CBT'. Unfortunately, the evidence for these actually helping is weak or nonexistant.



A recent reanalysis [1] on if patients actually recovered during the largest randomised trial of graded exercise therapy and CBT [2] found they did not recover statistically significantly compared to controls, and the level of 'recovery' was very far from 'to normal'.



" When recovery was defined according to the original protocol, recovery rates in the GET and CBT groups were low and not significantly higher than in the control group (4%, 7% and 3%, respectively)."

The PACE trial suffered from outcome switching, as well as other changes in the pre-trial protocol, dilution of the patient population using criteria that may have included patients with depression and recovery thresholds that meant some of those going in were already classed as 'recovered'.



Due to the low recovery thresholds, even if the initial rates of recovery were sustained in the long term (they were not), the treatments effect approaches clinical insignificance, even if you believe the original trial numbers.



The original recovery threshold is equivalent to patients with class II congestive heart failure.

1] http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21641846.2017.1259724

2] http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(11)60096-2/abstract