Researchers have identified a significant link between COVID-19 survival and the development of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). According to a study conducted by the National Institutes of Health’s RECOVER-Adult Initiative, approximately 4.5% of COVID-19 survivors have ME/CFS, compared to less than 1% of their uninfected counterparts.
ME/CFS is characterized by severe fatigue that lasts for at least six months, as well as symptoms such as impaired memory, brain fog, dizziness, and muscle or joint pain. The condition can be triggered by both viral and non-viral infections, and physical or mental activity can exacerbate symptoms.
The study found that post-exertional malaise was the most common symptom in both acute-infected and post-acute-infected participants with ME/CFS. Most participants with post-COVID ME/CFS also had long COVID, highlighting a strong association between the two conditions.
Interestingly, researchers identified certain demographic groups as being at higher risk for developing ME/CFS after COVID-19 infection, including white women aged 46-65 years living in rural areas and those who were unvaccinated or had lower educational backgrounds.
The study also suggests that patients with post-COVID ME/CFS are more likely to experience chronic pain syndrome, fibromyalgia, and other conditions. The findings provide new insights into the biology and mechanisms of post-COVID ME/CFS and offer hope for identifying objective biomarkers and developing treatments for this debilitating condition.
Source: https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/1-20-covid-survivors-may-have-condition-characterized-extreme-fatigue