A prospective study of post-COVID-19 CFS following the first pandemic wave in Germany & biomarkers associated with symptom severity (Kedor et al 2022)

Pyrrhus

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A prospective observational study of post-COVID-19 chronic fatigue syndrome following the first pandemic wave in Germany and biomarkers associated with symptom severity (Kedor et al., 2022)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-32507-6

Main points:
  • 42 coronavirus patients who reported fatigue and exertion intolerance 6 months after infection (Long Covid) were studied.
  • 19 out of the 42 Long Covid patients met the Canadian Consensus Criteria for ME.
  • These 19 patients demonstrated a similar disease severity and symptom burden as other ME patients.
Excerpt:
A subset of patients has long-lasting symptoms after mild to moderate Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

In a prospective observational cohort study, we analyze clinical and laboratory parameters in 42 post-COVID-19 syndrome patients (29 female/13 male, median age 36.5 years) with persistent moderate to severe fatigue and exertion intolerance six months following COVID-19. Further we evaluate an age- and sex-matched postinfectious non-COVID-19 myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome cohort comparatively.

Most post-COVID-19 syndrome patients are moderately to severely impaired in daily live. 19 post-COVID-19 syndrome patients fulfill the 2003 Canadian Consensus Criteria for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. Disease severity and symptom burden is similar in post-COVID-19 syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and non-COVID-19/myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients.

Hand grip strength is diminished in most patients compared to normal values in healthy. Association of hand grip strength with hemoglobin, interleukin 8 and C-reactive protein in post-COVID-19 syndrome/non-myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and with hemoglobin, N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide, bilirubin, and ferritin in post-COVID-19 syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome may indicate low level inflammation and hypoperfusion as potential pathomechanisms.
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