Reducing fatigue-related symptoms in Long COVID-19: a preliminary report of a lymphatic drainage intervention, 2022, Heald, Perrin et al

Abstract

Introduction
In the early days of the first global wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the potential for a postviral syndrome to manifest following COVID-19 infection was first recognized. Here, we present an analysis of a case series of the first 20 patients’ data collected in clinical practice to evaluate the potential of a possible alternative treatment for Long COVID.

Methods
Face-to-face treatment sessions with Perrin technique practitioners occurred weekly involving effleurage/other manual articulatory techniques. The individuals being treated also undertook daily self-massage along with gentle mobility exercises. Patients recorded symptom severity using the self-report 54-item profile of fatigue-related states (PFRS) before and after treatment.

Results
The mean age of male patients was 41.8 years (range, 29–53 years), and for female patients, 39.3 years (range, 28–50 years). None of the participants had a prior diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome, and all were new attendees to the clinics at the time of initial assessment. The average number of treatment sessions was 9.7 in men and 9.4 in women. The reduction in PFRS scores was 45% in men and 52% in women. The highest subscale scores on average were for fatigue, with the lowest for somatic symptoms. All subscale scores showed, on average, a similar reduction of approximately 50% postintervention, with the reduction in score relating to a decrease in the severity of symptoms.

Conclusion
Our findings suggest that a specific manual lymphatic drainage intervention may help to reduce fatigue symptoms related to Long COVID. Perhaps preventing acute symptoms through early intervention.

Open access, https://journals.lww.com/cardiovasc...ucing_fatigue_related_symptoms_in_Long.3.aspx

 

Once again, a totally meaningless study, because most of these patients will improve over time regardless of the intervention.

 

My favorite thing about papers like this is that according to the caricature invented for the biopsychosocial model, we should be all over this. "It drains the lymphatic system!" sounds medical and technical and biological and stuff. We should be gushing over this, or whatever. It validates the biologicals!

Whoever wrote to Leng saying we wouldn't care if the NICE guidelines were published without the evidence review is a twit who knows nothing about us or this disease. This is what happens when you build a caricature and can't figure out why it doesn't match with reality.

 

There's a lot of dodgy stuff going on. In the current issue of the journal there are 4 papers, and 3 are by the same author, Adrian Heald, who is lead author on this paper. I suspect Heald has a link to this journal and has suggested publication here.

And the Conflicts of Interest is a joke. No mention of Perrin's LTD company, his training and workshop of practitioners, his book sales, etc.

 

Could we do a S4ME letter to editor and publisher?

 

I thought that, but Perrin seems like small fry compared with the BPS lot. I have known about him for years and still can't decide if he has good intentions or not.