News about Long Covid including its relationship to ME/CFS 2020 to 2021

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Denise said:
I apologize if this has already been posted (mentions me/cfs in section 3.1 but sadly includes no links)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030439402030803X?via=ihub
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I don't think it's been posted. Thanks for sharing.
Avindra Nath is main author.

This is where ME is mentioned (my bolding)

3.1. Long-Haul COVID
Most concerning however are the long-term complications of the viral infection. Nearly 10-35% patients continue to complain of persistent symptoms most of which are neurological in nature [2]. This compilation of symptoms has been termed, Long-Haul COVID or Long COVID. Often these symptoms can first manifest after the acute phase of the illness. The severity of the acute phase does not predict the development of this syndrome either. The manifestations are very similar to myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. These patients complain of extreme exercise intolerance, dysautonomia, sleep disturbances, pain syndromes, low grade fever, dizziness, dyspnea and cognitive difficulties. Autonomic dysfunction can include palpitations, or tachycardia upon mild exercise or standing, hypo- or hypertension, gastroparesis, constipation or loose stools and peripheral vasoconstriction. In one series of hospitalized patients, 55% complained of fatigue and 34% complained of memory loss post-discharge [27]. The true extent of this syndrome, including the prevalence and duration of illness, remain unknown, but are an important avenue of research that will help us understand a more complete nature of the infection including its lasting effects.
 
Kalliope said:
I don't think it's been posted. Thanks for sharing.
Avindra Nath is main author.

This is where ME is mentioned (my bolding)

3.1. Long-Haul COVID
Most concerning however are the long-term complications of the viral infection. Nearly 10-35% patients continue to complain of persistent symptoms most of which are neurological in nature [2]. This compilation of symptoms has been termed, Long-Haul COVID or Long COVID. Often these symptoms can first manifest after the acute phase of the illness. The severity of the acute phase does not predict the development of this syndrome either. The manifestations are very similar to myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. These patients complain of extreme exercise intolerance, dysautonomia, sleep disturbances, pain syndromes, low grade fever, dizziness, dyspnea and cognitive difficulties. Autonomic dysfunction can include palpitations, or tachycardia upon mild exercise or standing, hypo- or hypertension, gastroparesis, constipation or loose stools and peripheral vasoconstriction. In one series of hospitalized patients, 55% complained of fatigue and 34% complained of memory loss post-discharge [27]. The true extent of this syndrome, including the prevalence and duration of illness, remain unknown, but are an important avenue of research that will help us understand a more complete nature of the infection including its lasting effects.
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I just read this and have to say I am impressed with Dr Nath here. He really did his research and listened to the symptoms, their patterns, the real concerns. He even lists extreme exercise intolerance first. Highly recommended read.

I hope this translates into real action but I see genuine understanding here.
 
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British Thoracic Society
PHOSP-COVID Webinar
BTS is very pleased to be working in partnership with the PHOSP-COVID research team, acting as a host for this series of weekly webinars, organised by the research team. Each session is free to attend live and is open to all healthcare professionals. The sessions centre on presentations of new data and clinical cases, and aim to facilitate open discussion. Each session will be recorded and we are pleased to be able to offer all BTS members access to the recordings soon after each event.
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Wednesday 18 November
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Professor Trudie Chalder, Fatigue in the Time of COVID-19
Access the recording of this webinar here.
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https://www.brit-thoracic.org.uk/research-and-innovation/phosp-covid/
registration required to view.
 
Not too many replies but I thought this was interesting for insight into what is happening at post-Covid clinics, specifically the Mt Sinai one. Who has been seen at Mt. Sinai and what have you learned?

Sadly but not surprisingly: not much. Comments mostly reflect that it's nice to be listened to by someone who understands, but that that is not significant by itself. There is no clinical response to this. This is a basic research problem, fundamental research even.

This is one of the longest-running clinic so far. I don't know what people expect out of building more clinics that can't actually do anything. So many efforts that could be put to productive uses instead. Medicine really needs to get a handle on opportunity cost and externalities. This is not the way to work, this is basically dysfunctional, doing things for the sake of doing things and then getting bored of it in the end.
 
Had missed this a few weeks ago.


Researchers investigating long-term effects of COVID-19

https://newsroom.uw.edu/postscript/researchers-investigating-long-term-effects-covid-19

A bit of editing weirdness but whatever.

The study known as INSPIRE (Innovative Support for Patients with SARS COV-2 Infections Registry) is tracking 4,800 individuals to assess the outcomes of infections on various age groups over a two-year period.

“We want to understand the long-term effects of COVID-19 and the ongoing impact it has on people's lives,” O’Laughlin said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded $13.7 the investigators million. UW researchers in family medicine and emergency medicine received $8.2 million of that amount to lead the clinical core, following people who tested positive for COVID over time to understand their symptoms and persistence of symptoms. They are partnering with Rush University in Chicago, Yale New Haven Health, the University of Texas in Houston and Southwestern, the University of California in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.

...

“We are seeing a lot of previously healthy, active patients presenting to primary care clinics with shortness of breath, fatigue, decreased exercise tolerance, diminished sense of taste or smell, and/or new or worsening anxiety or depression several weeks, or even months post-COVID-19 infection,” she said.

Recruitment for the study began Oct. 1 for 3,600 COVID-19 cases and 1,200 control subjects. INSPIRE will gather information through ongoing surveys. A community advisory board made up of participants and researchers will be helping to oversee the study.
​
 
Frequent neurocognitive deficits after recovery from mild COVID-19

https://academic.oup.com/braincomms/advance-article/doi/10.1093/braincomms/fcaa205/5998660

Neuropsychiatric complications associated with coronavirus disease 2019 caused by the Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) are increasingly appreciated. While most studies have focused on severely affected individuals during acute infection it remains unclear whether mild COVID-19 results in neurocognitive deficits in young patients. Here, we established a screening approach to detect cognitive deficiencies in post-COVID-19 patients. In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 18 mostly young patients 20 to 105 days (median 85 days) after recovery from mild to moderate disease who visited our outpatient clinic for post-COVID-19 care. Notably, 14 (78%) patients reported sustained mild cognitive deficits and performed worse in the Modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS-M) screening test for mild cognitive impairment compared to 10 age-matched healthy controls. While short-term memory, attention and concentration were particularly affected by COVID-19, screening results did not correlate with hospitalisation, treatment, viremia or acute inflammation. Additionally, TICS-M scores did not correlate with depressed mood or fatigue. In two severely affected patients we excluded structural or other inflammatory causes by magnetic resonance imaging, serum and cerebrospinal fluid analyses. Together, our results demonstrate that sustained subclinical cognitive impairments might be a common complication after recovery from COVID-19 in young adults, regardless of clinical course that were unmasked by our diagnostic approach.​
 
Some rather better writing from the Grauniad in a Q&A about Long Covid:

How similar is long Covid to chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)?

The extent to which long Covid overlaps with CFS (also known as ME), is generating heated medical debate. Both illnesses are triggered by viral infections and share overlapping symptoms. And at least a subset of people with long Covid also experience relapsing fever, muscle pain and exhaustion if they exercise beyond their capabilities; such “post-exertional malaise” (PEM) is a hallmark of ME/CFS.

However, fatigue can also be triggered by ongoing inflammation or reduced oxygen supply caused by heart or lung damage, and identifying whose fatigue is triggered by what is difficult. Some people may benefit from exercise, whereas it may harm others. Many experts therefore stress the importance “pacing”, which involves listening to your body and resting if you’re showing signs of PEM.

The answer to a second question is sensible, doesn't mention exercise at all, and quotes Drs Weir and Shepherd.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...d-can-children-get-it-your-questions-answered
 
rvallee said:
Sadly but not surprisingly: not much. Comments mostly reflect that it's nice to be listened to by someone who understands, but that that is not significant by itself. There is no clinical response to this. This is a basic research problem, fundamental research even.
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I don't think they'll find treatments to 'fix' their symptoms, but addressing autonomic issues will most likely be very helpful.
 
Opinion piece in a Swedish newspaper:

Expressen: Covid-effekterna som myndigheterna talar tyst om
https://www.expressen.se/debatt/covid-effekterna-som-myndigheterna-talar-tyst-om/
Google Translate said:
The Covid effects that the authorities are not talking about

At a time when the spread of infection is increasing again, we must ask ourselves the question: Do not we who live in Sweden also have the right to official information about what consequences the virus can actually give rise to? writes the Swedish covid association.

We are currently in a second wave of the pandemic. Just as this spring, we urge citizens to follow the official information channels of the authorities and healthcare. Many people turn to the Public Health Agency's website and 1177 for current information about covid-19. But unlike health authorities in Norway, Denmark, England and the USA, Swedish authorities and healthcare still do not convey current knowledge about long-term covid. [...]
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Google Translate, English
 
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